Never Say Never
by One More Time
Summary: At age 23, Uchiha Sasuke returns to Konoha after he kills his brother. Now on his list: rank higher. However, will he remember an old connection with a certain Hyuuga? SasuHina
1. Prologue

Hello :D Thanks for the interest in Never Say Never. A few things before you begin:

1. This fic will involve a slow evolving relationship between Sasuke and Hinata.

2. There is swearing D: I'm sorry.

3. If you read my previous SasuHina fic, I updated almost every other day. That might not happen this time around. I would safely say once a week.

4. I'm still not very far in Shippuden u_u I'm sorry. So don't worry about shit that might not go with what's currently in the manga/anime. Just ENJOY~

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At such a young age, Hyuuga Hinata found it very difficult to break out of her shell, much to her father's disappointment. Her shyness seemed to be holding her back from blossoming like all of the other children around her. Hinata's favorite place to be was in the safe realm behind Hyuuga Hiashi's leg, as if his robes were able to hide her from all the evil and scary things in the world. At only three years old, Hinata didn't speak. She answered questions with a shake of her head or a nod and there always seemed to be blush of embarrassment on her round cheeks.

Upon her first moments with her cousin Neji, she made sure to hide behind her father's leg, grasping tightly to his clothes. Meeting new people was hard on such a fragile mind and everyone always mistook her quietness for stupidity. Hinata was anything but that; even as a child she was very observant. Her wide pale eyes would watch children playing with marbles in the streets and sometimes she wished they would come over and ask her to play along. They never did.

Everyone called her the 'heir' to the Hyuuga clan and she wasn't sure what that meant. There were many aunts and uncles and servants there to cater to her every need, but Hinata often found that she preferred to do things on her own. The world was a big place full of wonder and excitement… but it was also full of danger and the constant fear of the unknown. She tried to be brave, but in such a small body she couldn't help but hide.

Many blamed her mother's death for the reason that Hinata was so shy and timid. Some also claimed that was the cause for her quietness. _She is too young for it to affect her like that!_ Hinata heard that often, but she never understood. There were so many important people that she saw throughout the Hyuuga mansion and she tried smiling to them. They would only return her gaze with stoic and sometimes cold expressions. Even her cousin Neji would scold her for being too quiet and reserved. Hinata wondered if maybe staying quiet and to herself that it would make those sad feelings vanish.

On one particular day, Hinata followed closely behind her father's footsteps through the bustling streets of Konoha. It wasn't very often that they were outside of their Hyuuga district, so it was quite the treat for Hinata. The morning sun was bright and her eyes watched as an old man at a shop was showing sweets to a few young girls. Hinata nibbled on her bottom lip and tugged on her father's robes for attention. Either he didn't notice or he was ignoring her, because Hiashi's prideful stride didn't stop. Hinata scrambled to catch up to her safety area just at his heels, her small fingers curling around the fabric of his robes. There was the common folk who hustled off to work or were out running errands. There were also men and women who walked around sporting large green vests and a shiny metal headband. They always looked scary, but Hinata found herself more and more curious about it as they walked. She looked up to hear her father's quiet voice as he did finally stop.

"Uchiha Fugaku." Hiashi said curtly, and Hinata looked at the three people in front of them. A tall man with graying hair had also stopped to acknowledge them. His face was almost as stern has her own father's and it caused her to bring his robes up over her face to her eyes.

"Hyuuga Hiashi." The man responded with the same amount of bitterness and crossed his arms. Hinata noticed two boys next to him, one older and one about her age. She watched as the youngest son was taking interest in her, clearly excited to see another child in his own age range. He bounded over to her excitedly, his dark blue hair bouncing around with it. His long hair in the front seemed to frame his face perfectly and she couldn't help but stare frighteningly as he grinned at her.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke!" The boy exclaimed as he waited for a response from her. Hinata's face got even more pink than usual and her small eyebrows furrowed upwards. She didn't like meeting new people, especially loud ones. Hinata could only squeak in fear as she hid completely behind her father's leg. Sasuke's face fell in disappointment.

"Hey… wait! I just wanted to play." Sasuke said with a slight pout forming on his lips. Hiashi eyed the boy sternly as if he were a parasite.

"Hinata doesn't speak." He said and Sasuke looked up at him questioningly, his dark eyes shining in the sun.

"Oh. Why not?" Fugaku coughed and reached out to pull Sasuke by the cuff of the shirt.

"Sasuke…" He said with a hint of caution on his voice. His older brother flicked him on the top of his skull and Sasuke's hands immediately shot up to his head with a slight wince.

"I apologize," Fugaku said. "I was unaware the heir to the Hyuuga clan was so weak." His voice was dry and it caused a surge of tension between them. Hiashi was a proud man, but he never let his anger get the best of him. The Hyuuga clan was a practical and traditional clan that still relied on heavy prayer, old techniques, and what might some consider out dated ways of life. The Uchiha clan was quite different; with a powerful police force and newer techniques, they brought a lot of innovative ideas to the table for Konoha.

"There is no greater danger than underestimating your enemy," Hiashi simply said, his pale eyes staring straight into the darkness of the Uchiha's. Fugaku smirked and seemed amused by this. It was no secret that the two clans rarely got along. In fact the Uchiha clan didn't seem to get along with anyone although they were very well-respected ninja. Both leaders casted arrogance where ever they went so naturally it caused friction within the village from time to time. While the two men went back and forth, Sasuke couldn't help but glance over to where the girl was hiding. He was curious of her, especially not being able to understand her muteness. Her pupil-less eyes also fascinated him.

"We're leaving; Itachi…Sasuke… let's go." Fugaku said, his glare fixating on his two sons. They both nodded and began to follow their father as he pressed on. Sasuke's eyes didn't leave the little girl as he looked back over his shoulders. Her wide eyes watched him go as well. He smiled at her and waved, which only made her cower once again.

Hinata didn't see the boy again until a few days after that. The only other place that she felt at ease was in the Hyuuga gardens, which was about an acre of land dedicated to medical herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables. She enjoyed the different smells and the many colors within the garden. It was the only time that no one was watching after her since it was on private land. However, her cousin Neji warned her not to get too close to the edge of the garden which met up with a small forest. Even though there was a black gate surrounding the garden, Neji still worried. Hinata never did go too far until one day she heard her name being called.

"It's Hinata, right!?" The voice was familiar and it startled her. She squeaked and scrambled to hide behind a large sun flower. Of course she didn't say anything. Her knees began to wobble in fear as she thought back to what he cousin had told her, but in curiosity her eyes peaked out from behind the yellow petals. She could see a grinning face standing up on a tree branch within the forest. It was the Uchiha boy! Her cheeks get even pinker when she managed a slow nod. Sasuke jumped from the tree and stopped right at gate.

"Come here!" He said as he held out his hand through the gate. Hinata immediately shook her head still clutching onto the sunflower for dear life. Sasuke frowned but he was patient. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanna talk." Hinata stared at his hand, the cautious voice of her older cousin long gone from her young mind. Deciding that he wasn't as scary as he was before, Hinata willed her feet forward and she shakily reached out to hold his hand. His smile got even bigger as he squeezed her hand.

"See? Do you remember my name?" Sasuke asked and she nodded, almost embarrassed that she was holding his hand. He thought that she was a princess, with the bright kimono she wore and how soft her hand was. _She needs someone to protect her!_ He let go of her hand and he sat down just outside the gate. Hinata watched him closely, observing the way the breeze blew his hair into his eyes and how he didn't seem to care. She had never met someone so carefree and excited. Hinata kneeled down and stared at her hands. Sasuke was very intrigued by the way she carried herself. It was so different than where he was from—there everyone had such confidence.

"Do you want to be my friend?" He asked her and for a moment she was silent. _A friend… Father has friends. Everyone tells me Mother had friends. _Hinata didn't have anyone except for her cousins. She slowly nodded and managed to smile weakly. Sasuke grinned.

"My father says that you're weak." He said, although the tone of his voice was anything but condescending. Hinata's gaze fell once more at the reminder. Sasuke's smile remained however. "But I think you're just fine." There was something building in her stomach that was strange. It felt like butterflies, but not the kind she was used to. These butterflies were good.

For a while, Hinata listened to his stories about his older brother and how he was in the Academy to become a ninja. He also talked about his Mother, and his Father and Hinata had never listened to someone so much before. No one had really ever paid much attention to her otherwise since she never spoke. A connection had been made, and suddenly Hinata didn't feel so afraid anymore. He looked at her and leaned forward a bit.

"Your eyes are so…light." Sasuke blurted. Hinata's hand shot up to her mouth and her gaze fell to the dirt. "But I like it." He made sure to add, noting how self-conscious she was. Hinata's cheeks tingled and she couldn't help but smile with a nod.

"Hinata-sama!" A voice called out from a distance and she looked over her shoulder. Sasuke's eyes also looked up and he got to his feet.

"Can you come back tomorrow?" He asked quickly and Hinata nodded slowly. "Good! See you, Hinata-chan!" Her cheeks flushed again as he disappeared back into the forest. She scrambled to her feet and began to follow Neji's voice as he called for her. Bumping into each other, she fell back on her behind. Neji panicked to help her up, as he was only a few years older than him. However, he had many responsibilities being a part of the Branch House.

"There you are, Hinata-sama. It's time to come in now." Hinata took Neji's hand as he led her through the gardens, but her eyes kept looking back to the trees in the forest hoping to catch another glimpse of her new friend.

The next day, Hinata met with Sasuke again at the same time and same place as before. They sat on either side of the gate, and this time Sasuke brought with him a few shurikens and kunai; both were foreign to her. Sasuke was already so smart and advanced in everything he did. It made Hinata start to look up to him.

"See this? It's a kunai. And this… it's a throwing star, but ninja call it a shuriken. I see my Father and big brother using them during their training sessions." Sasuke said as he held a kunai in his small hand. Hinata brought curled fingers up to her lips and she opened her mouth to say something but only a squeak came out. Sasuke looked over at her thoughtfully.

"That's okay, Hinata-chan. I like telling you things. I know you can't talk so you can just listen!" Sasuke said with a childish grin. Hinata's cheeks grew pink and she nodded. It wasn't that Hinata _couldn't_ speak; she was just always so shy and frightful that nothing ever came out. She was often compared to a mouse that was always trying to scurry into the nearest nook for safety. Even as a young girl, her self-esteem was low. Sasuke could see this and felt compelled to look after 'the princess'.

"Father hasn't taught me how to use them yet but… I've watched. I think it could be easy." Sasuke said as he stared at the kunai in his hand. As an Uchiha, he was expected to excel. Itachi was already doing so well at the Academy for such a young boy… Sasuke had big shoes to fill. Hinata observed him as he stared intently at the weapon in his hand. She chewed on her lower lip and mustered up some courage.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun." Her voice was as quiet as a whisper and he looked up to see her trying her hardest to speak up. He smiled, which made her look away embarrassed.

"You said my name!" Sasuke's grin never seemed to falter. "Do you want to hold this?" Sasuke asked holding up the weapon. Hinata wanted to say no, but there was something very enticing about being just like Sasuke—strong and confident. Hinata nodded and Sasuke made sure to hold out the handle to her. It was heavy in her small hand and her fingers could barely wrap around it. Her light lavender eyes looked at its every detail: the blade was very sharp as it gleamed in the sky, but it definitely had some use to it.

"It's sharp. Be careful." Sasuke warned and Hinata nodded. He watched her, noting that even though she was afraid, she was also very curious. Hinata was very sheltered and Hiashi had yet to begin her training. Three years old was still too young; next year her heavy training would begin and little did she know that her Byakugan would soon awaken as well. After she had thoroughly examined the kunai, Hinata reached out to hand it back. Sasuke took it and stood up.

"I've seen them throw it like this…" He said before attempting to throw it at the trunk of a tree. Without the strength or the knowledge on how to properly throw it, the kunai simply bounced off and landed on the ground. Sasuke scratched the back of his head almost embarrassed that she had seen that. "Guess I'm not good enough yet." Hinata watched him frown and it caused something to stir into her stomach.

"I-I think you're wonderful." Hinata murmured and Sasuke looked back over at her. His cheeks flushed as he bet down to pick up the kunai. He thought for a moment as the wind tossed his hair, and he decided something. Walking back over to the gate, he knelt down.

"Hinata-chan! You're a princess and I'm here to protect you!" He said with a shy grin and Hinata tilted her head in confusion. _A princess? Me?_ Sasuke frowned at her lack of response. "I mean… if that's okay." Hinata smiled and nodded. The breeze swept down again and the fragrance from the flowers seemed to hover over them. Even though she was very quiet, Hinata was truly enjoying her time with the Uchiha boy. No one had ever treated her like a _human being_ before. Since Hinata was the heir, she was always treated like a porcelain doll. Perhaps that was another reason of why she was always so timid. Sasuke pulled out a shuriken from his pack and tried to spin it on his finger. It was simply too big and heavy for his small fingers.

"This is also another ninja weapon. Hey, are you ever going to go to the Academy?" Sasuke asked suddenly as the shuriken fell to the ground from his grasp. Hinata looked down at her hands sitting in her lap and nodded. Hiashi had mentioned it a few times, but she was unaware that the Academy wasn't just to learn about basic skills—it was to become a full-fledged ninja.

"Maybe we'll be in the same class! I can't wait. My brother talks about it and how fun it is." He said and she smiled with a nod. "Then we don't have to talk through a gate." He sat down across from her; the only thing separating them was the metal bars. Sasuke held out his hand to her and she hesitantly took it.

"W-Will you protect me?" Hinata whispered. Sasuke nodded with a smile.

"Of course!"

"Hinata!" A sharp voice startled both of them as Hiashi approached them from behind. He had spotted them with his Byakugan when he went looking for his daughter. Sasuke tried to release her hand, but she held on tight in fear. Hiashi eyed the Uchiha boy.

"What are you doing here? This is private land." He growled as he yanked Hinata from the gate. She yelped and Sasuke stood angrily.

"Hey! We're friends!" Sasuke said, his heart crushing that he couldn't protect his princess. She looked at him with wide eyes before latching back to her safety net: her father's leg. Hiashi crossed his arms.

"You are not to speak to my daughter again. Hyuuga's and Uchiha's cannot be friends. If I see you near here again, I'll have to report you to your father." Sasuke's eyes fell as he stared at his feet. Hinata felt tears welling up in her eyes as she gripped Hiashi's robes. _Sasuke-kun… _He turned around and bolted from the gate, disappearing into the darkness in the forest. Hiashi looked down at her with an angry expression.

"Hinata, I don't ever want you to speak to the boy again. Do you understand me?" Hinata's tears had spilled over the edge at this point, creating small streams down her cheeks. She nodded slowly, not daring to look in her father's eyes. Hinata would never understand why her father forbade a friendship with Uchiha Sasuke. She didn't know anyone outside of the Hyuuga clan and Sasuke was a nice portal to a real friendship.

She wouldn't see Uchiha Sasuke until her first year at the Academy several years later. Both had grown quite considerably and Hinata even found her voice before enrolling. On the opening ceremony for new students, Hinata saw Sasuke in the crowd along with his father. She did her best not to stare, but she hadn't forgotten about the friendship that they had. Sasuke barely looked her way and was instead very fixated on a conversation with a sensei and his father. _Did he forget?_ She could feel her knees getting wobbly as she watched him that day. It was a long time ago that they formed that small connection, so she didn't seem to be too surprised he had forgotten. Hinata had kept busy as well with intense training and even shifting affections towards a certain Konoha prankster.

Over their years in the Academy, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata rarely had the same classes together until they got older. Sasuke's ambitions seemed to grow higher as he sought out to be just like his brother. Hinata's attention went to trying to reach her father's expectations. Both had either forgotten or obeyed their parent's wishes to leave their friendship. Then it happened; the Uchiha Massacre that shook the very core of Konoha.

Hinata had never gotten physically ill over such a story, but she wept for Sasuke when it had happened. From then on, she could see a true change in the way he held himself. He had his boyish charm; instead he put his entire life into becoming something great. Hinata no longer knew who he was and he no longer seemed to remember the princess that he promised to protect.

Perhaps that was why Hyuuga Hinata never as much admiration towards the Uchiha boy like the rest of the girls did. A subconscious feeling deep down told her that he was not the same little boy anymore, nor did it ever really cross her mind. Seeing Naruto reminded her of a younger Sasuke, one who was always so carefree and excited. She knew that he was strong spirited and when he made promises, he kept them.

As Sasuke slowly began to unravel, getting the curse mark and ultimately leaving Konoha to pursue under Orochimaru's wing, Hinata had her own worries. The constant scrutiny of her cousin and Father always seemed to weigh on her fragile mind and the will to become stronger was top priority. Friendships are made; friendships are lost which could be true for anyone in Konoha. Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were just one example and even Hyuuga Hinata and Neji as well. Things change drastically in life as a ninja gets older and it slowly becomes an 'eat or be eaten' type scenario.

The fight to be the best and to show off one's skills was something of importance to the Rookie Nine as young ninja. As they got older and matured, the will to be comrades instead of enemies surfaced. Some even formed a team searching almost to death for a certain Uchiha. Life became more about "we" and less about "I". Konoha gained strong ninja as they protected their village but also each other. Maybe one day, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata could once again become friends and find that connection that they lost so long ago. Hinata's mother used to say: a_nything is possible, Hinata. Never say never._


	2. Chapter 1: Rumors

Thanks to all the follows, reviews and reads so far :)

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Rumors are much like a lowly spark. All it took was ignition, or in other words, nosy folks, for it to spread like a wild fire across the bustling village called Konoha. With its ever-busy market place, it was the perfect place for a rumor to be born. From there, it spread to the many venders and restaurants, all the way to the edge of the village where the farmers harvested vegetables and fruits. With the help of low whispers and gasps of surprises, it only took a few hours for this particular rumor to reach the entire village.

Normal rumors, such as 'so and so got demoted in rank' or affairs were common and most of the time it only took a day for it to pass. This, however, was even getting the attention of Aburame Shino who never had time for such childish things. In fact, many of the ninja of Konoha didn't have time for the local gossip but this rumor was slightly more personal and worthwhile. With his hands pockets in his large overcoat, the infamous Aburame bugs crawled up and down his arms, onto his fingers and even through his hair. He waited patiently in the training grounds until his ears twitched at the sound of two running footsteps: one human, one canine.

"Oy! Shino!" Inuzuka Kiba came bounding from the trees with Akamaru right at his heels. Both boys were about 23 now and both were far from the children they used to be as Team Eight. Kiba's brown hair stuck up in all directions as usual, but he had also hit a growth spurt, easily meeting Shino in height now. Of course the red tattoos remained on his youthful face, a little bit of stubble growing into a beard as well. Shino's eyes glanced over in the direction of his fellow team mate, still of course hidden by dark lens. Kiba skidded to a halt and leaned on his knees as he fought for air. Shino frowned, however that was also hidden by the cuff of his jacket.

"You're early." He simply said, that monotone voice having a slight amused twinge to it. Kiba's lips formed a scowl, his canine teeth much longer in his older state. He stood up straight as Akamaru began sniffing Shino's leg in curiosity.

"Not _all_ of us are so dedicated…" Kiba muttered sarcastically and he crossed his arms. If Shino was the type of person to laugh, he would have, but he was much more reserved. There were only a few people who could really read the man, and sometimes Kiba even doubted his own instincts. However over the years, they were forced to form a bond with each other, as it was almost mandatory to discover each other's weaknesses, strengths, fears, and usual mannerisms. The breeze flew in to ruffle their hair and Shino watched as one of his insects fluttered away.

"Has word reached you yet?" Shino asked. Knowing that Kiba had arrived earlier than his usual lateness, Shino had a feeling that perhaps he knew of the word around town. How _couldn't_ he know? Kiba frowned, his expression becoming slightly more serious. He nodded, his chocolate brown eyes shifting towards Akamaru. The dog whined gently and nuzzled his owner's leg.

"Yeah… I wonder what's going to happen." Kiba thought aloud as he re-positioned his forehead protector, and then tightened the knot.

"It's all up to Tsunade-sama." Shino remarked and he closed his eyes. Kiba shrugged as if suddenly disinterested.

"Guess it doesn't really affect us much, eh Akamaru?" He nudged the dog who replied with another small whine. His ears perked up after sensing someone approaching the training grounds. The large canine trotted over towards the entrance and greeted the last member of the former Team Eight; Hyuuga Hinata. Of course now they were technically called Team Kurenai, and really their training as a team wasn't mandatory any longer. However, they all agreed that it would be beneficial to continue meeting each morning.

Hinata smiled gently as the dog approached her and circled her feet as she walked. She was also age 23 and had grown well. Her long midnight blue hair was now a long braid that lay casually up on her shoulder in front of her. She was still very adamant about hiding her body behind clothing; however Hinata had progressed since her days of wearing heavy jackets. Now she wore a long light purple sweater that reached to her thighs with tight black pants. Her curves were still well hidden, leaving much up the imagination of certain males around the village. Her spirit was much the same, timid and polite.

"G-Good morning Akamaru…" She said softly as her footsteps got closer to her fellow team mates. "Good morning Shino-kun… Kiba-kun." Her bangs blew in the breeze and both boys nodded.

"Hinata, did you hear?" Kiba immediately addressed this mysterious rumor that was floating around. It wasn't like him to give in to the gossip which led Hinata to believe that perhaps it was something worthwhile. As if embarrassed, she looked away.

"Hear what?" Aside from her training sessions in the morning, Hyuuga Hinata spent much of her time alone. Tsunade had appointed her to be in charge of the many documents in the basement of the Hokage building which meant that a lot of the times she was by herself for an extended period of time. On the occasion, ninja would stop by to 'check-out' scrolls for different purposes, so in essence it was also a library. Many of the documents were available to the public to come and use as they please. However, there was also a lot that were secret and classified so that meant keeping a firm guard on those as well. Kiba raised his eyebrow almost in surprise.

"How do you not know!?" He exclaimed and Shino coughed as he stepped forward in her defense.

"I think you forget that Hinata isn't around people all day." He said. She smiled lightly at him, and folded her small hands in front of her. It would make sense that Hinata had no clue; not only was she alone throughout the day, but also at night. Ever since her rightful spot as the Hyuuga leader was taken from her, Hinata moved from the Hyuuga district and into her own simple apartment. She wasn't bitter, but it was just easier as she got older and led a more independent life. It was also refreshing to get out of the constant scrutiny of her Father.

"I-Is everything okay?" She asked, slightly worried now. This prompted a whine from Akamaru who nudged into Hinata's thigh. She frowned as she looked down at the dog, and her hand glided on top of his soft white fur. Kiba's gaze shifted over towards the quiet Aburame man who gave small shrug to his shoulders.

"Uchiha Sasuke has returned to Konoha." He said. Hinata's light eyes stared intently at him, but the name hardly registered anything in her mind. In fact, the first thought that arose was Uzumaki Naruto. She recalled his desperate attempts to reach Sasuke and bring him back to Konoha. After several failed missions to retrieve the lone Uchiha, he seemingly fell off the radar.

Konoha had gotten news that a corpse believed to be Orochimaru was discovered in an old hide-out. After several tests done, papers filed, and tests _redone_, it was confirmed much to the surprise of the entire village. To Tsunade, however, it had always been plausible. The immortality jutsu that Orochimaru boasted of so much did have its setbacks and the most common flaw was needing a new host after a few years. If one was not provided, the body would reject it and in turn eat away at not only the host body but the jutsu caster as well. It always struck Hinata strange that something as simple as that did in the great Orochimaru. She recalled listening in on a hushed conversation that perhaps there was more to the story, like Kabuto betraying Orochimaru… or that he might still be out there.

That in turn began to churn questions about not only Kabuto's whereabouts but also the Uchiha that was traveling with them. Both had been missing, but now it was apparent that Sasuke was alive and well…and back in Konoha. Hinata always remembered their short lived friendship, even though it was about twenty years ago when they met at the gated garden. Since then, both had obviously gone their separate ways. In fact, Hinata vaguely remembered ever interacting with the Uchiha since the attack on his clan, and his falling out with Konoha. She was slightly curious, but not much more than her fellow team mates. After a few seconds of thought, Hinata wasn't sure what to say.

"Oh, w-wow." She managed to say. "What do you think he's back for?" Kiba shrugged his shoulders before resting his hands inside the pockets of his brown pants.

"Maybe he finally found that crazy ass brother of his…" He said slowly, and Shino shifted his weight.

"It's possible. It's been several years… It was only a matter of time." Shino said and Hinata brought curled fingers up to her lips. The topic was Uchiha Sasuke; however her mind kept going back the boy of her old admirations. Uzumaki Naruto had always been the friend she needed, the center of her universe and the man who plagued her dreams for years. As young teens, Hinata often began to wonder if perhaps those feelings were what everyone talked of: love.

In all the silly romance novels she read, there was always some sort of connection or romance that progressed. Even the ugly duckling got the prince in the end. Hinata's love life was far from a fairy tale and there was little hope for her in that aspect. She stood on the sidelines in Naruto's world, as she always has, quietly rooting for him and hoping that maybe he might take more notice of her. Not that she blamed him for not; ever since Tsunade appointed her job she was barely around anyone for that matter. A small sigh escaped her pink lips and Kiba took notice.

"Ahh, enough bull shitting! Let's train. I'm already sick of hearing about that guy." Kiba said as he backed out of their circle and ran towards the middle of the training grounds. Shino's eyes watched Hinata curiously from behind his shades. As if he was the big brother Hinata never had, he often kept a close watch on her. Not because he felt any affection for her, but simply because she was fragile like a bug. Even though Hinata was a Jounin, and a strong ninja at that, her mind would forever be the kind and gentle Hinata that he knew so well.

"Are you well?" Shino asked as Hinata snapped out of a daze. Her cheeks grew pink and she nodded quickly as the heavy braid bounced off her chest.

"Y-Yes. Shall we?" She asked, and half-heartedly followed Kiba over towards their usual spot.

Their training sessions were usually the same every day: they would start with warm-up exercises to get their blood pumping. Each warm up was different for all three: Hinata would close her eyes to meditate and concentrate knowing her Byakugan would be involved. Shino called forth the Aburame bugs from within his body. Kiba was probably the only one who stretched his muscles and he flicked Akamaru's nose playfully as he did it.

Hinata opened a half-lidded eye and watched as Akamaru chased Kiba around the training grounds. She couldn't help but stifle a small giggle, but she could feel a piercing stare from Shino at her back, so her eyes closed once more and concentration resumed. After a few minutes, Kiba's chase game ended with his canine companion and he rubbed his hands together.

"Alright, that's enough of that. Let's go, you two!" Without bothering to wait, the Inuzuka threw a few seals together while eyeing Akamaru who seemed just an anxious to get started. Two Kiba's now appeared on the training grounds, and before both Shino and Hinata had a chance to comprehend the situation, they already had a running start.

"Let's show 'em, Akamaru! Fang Wolf Fang!" A whirlwind of air shot straight towards Hinata, who had seen this coming, thanks to her concentration. With quick reflexes, she leaped upwards and back flipped out of harm's way and reached into the pack the was taped to her thigh. Still in mid-air, Hinata had a handful of kunai that rained down on the two, which they deflected with ease. Hinata landed on the ground with a small smile on her lips. It was thrilling to be able to move so freely and not be so cooped up in the Hokage building.

After their warm-ups came each individual training; one would attack, while the other two used common attacks as defense as a way to keep from getting rusty when not on missions. It was especially beneficial to Kiba, who had a hard time conserving his chakra due to his aggressive attacks. At this point, the whirlwinds were doing a U-turn in the training grounds and headed in Shino's direction. With calm composure, Shino stretched his arms outwards and hundreds, if not thousands, of bugs appeared from within the confines of his large overcoat. They seemed to form a large barrier in front of Shino as the whirlwind of both Kiba and Akamaru grew nearer. Kiba smirked from within his jutsu. _Gotta be better than that!_

Instead of taking the bait and going towards the wall of bugs, Kiba decided to take a trip down under. Piercing into the earth below, they both disappeared and within a flash they appeared above ground again. This time when they appeared, the Fang Wolf Fang jutsu had been broken, and Kiba was headed straight towards Hinata with a kunai. Hinata was ready for him; her hands already surrounded in blue lion-shaped chakra bursts. She easily avoided the kunai and began to slowly give more of an offense as a spar began. If anything, Hyuuga Hinata excelled more in close combat than any of them. Her excellent reflects and Gentle Fist technique wasn't anything to kid around, and her Byakugan was on at full force carefully making sure she didn't cause any damage to her team mate.

The team balanced each other out beautifully; Shino did well with long-range attacks, Hinata preferred the close combat and Kiba equaled out to both. Not to mention the Academy did a good job in keeping the 'scouts' together. About 80% of their missions involved with tracking down something or someone and those missions usually had one if not all members of Team Kurenai there.

Seamlessly, they transitioned to Shino's training as his bugs began to swarm the two. Kiba grinned as his canines seemed to almost grow as his chakra flowed freely through his body. Hinata also loved the thrill as a bead of sweat began to crawl down the side of her forehead. This type of training seemed to go on for the next hour or so until Kiba let himself fall onto his back in the green grass.

"I think that's good for today…" He said in between breaths and Akamaru, who was clearly still full of energy, licked his sweaty face. Hinata rested up against the trunk of a nearby tree and she welcomed the breeze with open arms. The summer wind always felt great after a morning of training. The sun was higher in the sky than it was earlier, which indicated she might need to jog to work.

"O-Oh no. I think I might be late!" She squeaked. Hinata began to sprint through the training grounds, her arm extended in a wave to the two boys, who would never admit it, but even they wouldn't be able to run after such a training session. It was easier for them because they had so much more free time than she did. Taking what Kiba called a 'desk job' was a good choice for her. She did still go on missions, but not as much as her team mates. In fact, Shino had just returned from a week long mission with his father and Kiba was set to leave later that day.

As Hinata pushed her legs to go faster, she excused herself gently as she ran through the busy streets of Konoha. Her destination was the large orange building that sat higher than all of the others. It wasn't like her to be late at all and there was a lot for her to do still with the library of documents. Before she had taken the job, many of the scrolls and documents were poorly organized and some papers had come up missing. Usually Shizune was in charge of making sure everything was in its place, but she was staying busy with the Hokage. Besides, Hinata enjoyed doing it. Although the days did get lonely, she found the joy in surrounding herself with knowledge.

Up the stone stairs she went and the muscles in her legs were screaming at her to stop. She opened the heavy door and raced inside only to run straight into Uzumaki Naruto. Hinata fell backwards on the hard concrete and an immense feeling of dread washed over her. Papers were fluttering through the air as Naruto had also fallen back.

"Owwww…" His hand went up to nurse a large bump forming on the back of his head as he sat up. "Oh, Hinata… you're here early." Hinata wanted her body to shrivel to the size of a bug so she could fly far, far away from this moment in time. _Not only was I not late…but I ran into Naruto-kun!_ A grin crept across his lips as he stood up and extended a hand to help her up. Hinata looked up with a beet red face and took his hand sheepishly. He pulled her up and she could barely form words.

"N-N-Naruto-kun! I'm s-so sorry! I w-wasn't even looking w-where I was going…" Her words were firing off at rapid speed and Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Nyeh, it's all right, Hinata. I was just on my way to give the old lady these papers." His eyes suddenly got wide and he knelt down to gather up all the loose leaf sheets. "Crap. Crap. She's waiting on me." Hinata frowned and knelt down to help him. Her eyes could help but scan over the information on the papers and her stomach dropped. They were Uchiha Sasuke's documents; test results from his days at the Academy, statistic sheets and several other things that she only saw at a quick glance.

"Oh… um." Hinata handed him a stack of papers as they both stood up. He smiled and took them.

"Thanks! Hey, did you hear? Sasuke is back!" His grin warmed her body and it made her heart beat faster. Her cheeks almost felt unbearably hot but she managed to nod despite her embarrassment.

"Yes… I did hear. W-Where is he?" Hinata asked curiously. Naruto had all the papers aligned in his hands when he glanced back at her.

"Well… he's detained right now." Naruto said as a slight frown replaced that smile she so adored. She frowned along with him and folded her hands behind her.

"D-Detained?" She pushed on, almost scolding herself for letting the 'word around town' get to her. The rumor was just that he had returned to Konoha. Perhaps he had returned by force or maybe he was back with a vengeance.

"Yeah. But hey, at least he's back. That's all that matters…" His voice trailed off and his blue eyes seemed to glaze over. Hinata could tell when Naruto got nostalgic; in fact she was so observant that she could see a lot of what went through his mind. Just as quick as his sad look came, it was gone as he smiled again.

"Well if I don't get there, the old lady won't ever let me be Hokage. See ya, Hinata!" Naruto began to sprint down the hallway as he waved good-bye.

"G-Good bye…Naruto-kun." Hinata whispered to herself and the echoes of his footsteps eventually disappeared into silence. As much as she willed her feelings away and focused her attention elsewhere, it was hard for her to dismiss it so easily.

She pressed onwards through the corridors until she reached the stairs leading down into the lower level of the Hokage building. Hinata welcomed the blast of cooler air as she took each step downwards. The library was a large room with bookcases filled to the brim with books. Hinata had created a system that would make anyone with OCD proud; each bookshelf was organized by topic, then by alphabetical order. From there, every part of the room was organized by specific topics like clans, historical eras, ninjutsus, taijutsus and genjutsus. It had taken her quite some time to get a collective index down as well so that way if someone asked for documents on the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Body Switch technique, she could easily find it.

Hinata flipped the switch at the bottom of the stairs which caused a few lights to flicker on lighting up the library. She took a deep breath and was happy to find everything just the way she left it yesterday. Hinata's fingertips lightly touched the sides of the book shelves as she followed the familiar walkway towards her own little office area, which was simply a desk set up in a corner. Sitting in her chair, she let a large sigh accumulate in her chest before she let it out and her eyes traveled to the stack of documents that needed to be worked on.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke leaned back lazily in the wooden chair within the Fifth Hokage's office. His arm was propped up on the back of the chair, while his fingers dangled. His dark eyes were narrowed and staring intently at the woman sitting in the desk before him. She only returned his gaze with curiosity, caution and even some disbelief.

Ten years had passed since Sasuke set foot in the village. He recalled the night he left and how free he felt knowing that he was headed in the right direction for once. Under Orochimaru's watch, Sasuke had seemingly blossomed into an even greater ninja than he had left as. The one and only thing that kept him going was what his goal was: to find his brother and settle the score. It took a little longer than he had anticipated, but Uchiha Itachi was no more. He didn't care to think about it much due to the circumstances of what happened between the two.

Tsunade leaned forward and the blonde hair surrounding her face brushed up against her cheeks. She was worried but not because he had returned, but more of the reason why. She folded her hands that rested on the desk and her gaze didn't falter.

"So, I guess first thing's first… welcome back." She said, not a hint of joy in her voice. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. He didn't come back for her approval or anyone's. His blue-gray hair was still the same, long in the front and spiky in the back. The only thing that had changed of Sasuke was his height and now he wore khaki pants with a gray Uchiha shirt. Tsunade frowned and folded her arms across her chest. When he didn't say anything after a few moments, she decided to keep it going.

"I take it you've accomplished what you needed to." She said dryly as she kept a firm watch on him. Sasuke's emotion didn't falter; in fact she had never seen anyone look as apathetic before. Spending years with Orochimaru on top of having emotional issues to begin with was a scary combination.

"You mean killing my brother?" He asked irritably. "He's dead and now my clan can finally rest in peace." He figured that it would be everyone's first question to him but the point of his existence shouldn't be revolving around his brother any longer. It was done, it was over, and there were other things on his agenda now. There was an eerie silence that settled between the two and it had been a while since Tsunade ever felt uncomfortable in front of someone. That feeling was ignored as she stood up, trying to show her authority.

"And what brings you back to Konoha?" Tsunade asked as she walked in front of his chair to lean up against her desk. His eyes never once left hers as if he was saying 'you don't scare me'. His had a simple answer for her.

"I left a Genin and it's been ten years. I want to rank up." He said. Tsunade almost laughed in his face at that statement. The fact was she didn't trust him and there was no way in hell she would allow him to go on missions just because he demanded it. Not to mention the Chuunin exams were still a ways down the calendar.

"Well, I hate to break it you Uchiha but when you left, you reverted yourself back to the bottom of the totem pole. The Chuunin Exams are still several months away." She said curious as to his response. Sasuke shrugged yet again.

"Then assign me missions."

"Excuse me?"

"I said _assign me missions._ Even though I'm a Genin, I'm the strongest ninja in this village now." Sasuke said hoping he had made himself clear. His ego and pride were constantly worn on his sleeve and he could care less what anyone else thought. As an Uchiha, he was going to prove to everyone that he was more than just a rank. Tsunade just stared at him and wondered if he was messing with her. When it was apparent he was completely serious she rolled her honey eyes. _This kid… _

"Not until you can gain my trust." She said and approached him at his chair. Tsunade leaned forward, her face just inches from him. "You may be strong, but _I'm stronger_. One false move and you won't even see it coming." She hissed. If it scared him he didn't show it as his stoic expression remained. He had a feeling she wouldn't comply right away so it didn't matter much. He had all the time in the world now that Itachi was no longer around.

"Whatever. I have nothing to hide." Sasuke said. Which was true; Sasuke wasn't looking to commit any crimes or follow in Orochimaru's footsteps. People often gave Sasuke a bad reputation simply because of his actions as a teen. Sasuke was a person with a good heart, just a bad attitude. Once Sasuke got to the rank he found suitable, he would probably end up leaving Konoha again anyway and pursue other things. Tsunade stared into his eyes wondering if she'd see the same glint of evil that she saw in Orochimaru's but she didn't.

"Come see me tomorrow and I'll figure out what I'll have you do in the meantime." She said and waved her hand for his dismissal. Sasuke didn't like that answer, but it would give him an opportunity to head back to his old loft before he had left Konoha all those years ago. He stood up without a word after grabbing his bag and let himself out.

Sasuke could only assume that word had spread around the village of his return. He didn't care; in fact he sort of liked the attention. The one thing he did notice as he walked throughout the streets was the economy seemed to have burst. There were more people in Konoha than he remembered, but maybe it was such something he had never really paid much attention to. Or another reason that circled his mind was now that Orochimaru was gone there wasn't much for war which led to longer life spans for the ninja. Every so often, people would see him and begin to whisper to each other about the return of the lone Uchiha. Sasuke wasn't stupid; he could see it from the corner of his eyes. Whether the chatter around town was positive or negative, he could care less. Regardless, he was the topic and that's just how he wanted it to be.

Although he felt bitter, Sasuke also felt a sense of nostalgia as he made his way from the crowded markets to the outskirts. His sense of anger and irritableness towards Konoha was strange. He wasn't sure why he felt it, but there did always need to be a reason. It could be from the way they treated him after the Uchiha's massacre; hiding facts and seemingly sweeping everything under the rug. Or it could also be just be because everyone around him had flourished and become something great and here he was… a 23 year old Genin. He had heard through the grapevine of Naruto's internship through Tsunade. It was a kind of jealousy that he never thought he'd feel again for his former team mate.

Of course even Sasuke couldn't deny that a lot of attention was focused on Naruto. He had felt some jealousy, but it had never been this overwhelming. For some time, Sasuke felt like his revenge was going nowhere. It took a lot of dedication and blood on his hands to finally get a hold of his brother. It was worth it, but it also left an empty feeling in his chest. He didn't want to think that maybe his revenge was pointless as it didn't bring back his family. It also didn't get rid of the constant loneliness. For so long, it was his only goal and his only thoughts. Years upon years he drilled in his own brain that _he had to kill to regain his own sense of worth_. Sasuke wouldn't even admit it to himself that perhaps it was wrong.

The old loft he used to call home was coming into view and it looked a little more worn down than when he had left it. He followed the wood steps up to the entrance and Sasuke had to smirk. The door knob was much further down than he remembered. As a 13 year old boy, everything had been different than it was now. Those thoughts only went further as he recalled more than he intended to such as burned bridges and old relationships. A frown replaced his smirk as he shoved those memories away and pushed through the door. Just as he suspected, cobwebs had over run the entire apartment. Otherwise, things were just the way they were so long ago.

Throwing his bag onto the bed, Sasuke walked through a dusty apartment and over to the dresser where he saw a photo frame lying face down. A millisecond of the memory screeched in his mind and without hesitating, he took the frame and shoved it in a drawer. The past was done. It was another chapter, signed and dated at the bottom that he no longer cared to remember. After dwelling for so long on old memories and feelings, Sasuke decided it was time to start fresh and look forward towards the future and how he would jump the ranks at the Village of the Hidden Leaf.


	3. Chapter 2: Dark vs Light

Thank you for the wonderful reviews and favorites. You are amazing :) I've lost some motivation so I hope that you can help me get it back.

* * *

Hinata leaned back in her chair as her tired pale eyes gazed over her library. Of course it wasn't _technically _hers, but she liked to think it was. The halls had gotten quiet which meant it was about time to leave for the day. The public hours were over with and she had already done all of the tasks she had set out. Hinata really had no boss; everyone answered to the Hokage of course but there was no one there to watch her and make sure she did everything correctly.

Hinata had a sneaking suspicion that not only was she chosen for this job because it needed some TLC, but also to help her get her mind off of her personal life. Tsunade had heard when Hyuuga Hiashi had denied her 'seat on the throne' for the Hyuuga clan and just a few short months later she was assigned the position. Hinata's views on that whole thing were somewhat painful. It was as if she was opening an old letter one hundred times a day; she could remember each detail and feeling and the fold creases were beginning to get worn down. It was a situation she had come to terms with, but she still thought of on a daily basis. Her life could have been drastically different had she of been more diligent in her training.

Her sister Hanabi was already fulfilling her life-long dream of taking over the clan from her father. In fact, she was already married to another Hyuuga. Hinata played with her braid that rested on her shoulder and closed her eyes. It wasn't like Hinata to be jealous and she was actually very happy for her little sister. Perhaps it was more of a feeling of little to no self-worth. At least when Hinata was growing up there was something to strive for: her father's approval. Now it was already gone; just like an abandoned puppy, she had to fend for herself.

She stood up as she brushed dust from her light purple sweater and began to head out for the evening. Hinata flicked the light switch off and heading up from the basement. Hinata was already thinking about curling up underneath her covers as she reached the top of the stairs.

"Ahh, Hinata!" A familiar voice greeted her as she shut the door behind her. Haruno Sakura stood in the hallway on the main floor with a smile on her face. Her pink hair was still cut shorter as it brushed the tops of her shoulders. She had blossomed into quite the woman in Konoha, constantly catching the attention of the male population. Sakura wasn't just a beautiful girl, but she was also very successful spending much of her time between the Konoha Hospital and the Academy teaching classes.

"Oh, hello Sakura." Hinata's voice was so much quieter than Sakura's which seemed to echo throughout the halls. Sakura smiled.

"Hey! I was thinking we could go grab a drink. How about it?" She asked as Hinata approached her. Aside from her team mates, Hinata didn't have many close friends especially any that were girls. She smiled politely at Sakura. It wasn't that she didn't like Sakura, because she was a very confident and kind person. Hinata just didn't fit in right in those types of situations. Plus, she didn't want to admit that she had never had sake before.

"O-Oh, no that's okay. I don't drink much." Hinata said hoping that it was an excuse big enough. Sakura rested her hands on her hips giving her an irritated look. This caught Hinata off guard and she felt her cheeks get warm.

"C'mon, Hinata. You work all damn day and trust me when I say this but if you don't get some sort of release in your life, you're going to crash and burn!" Sakura walked behind Hinata and began to gently push her forward. "It will be fun. Besides, after today I _need _a drink."

"Sakura! Don't you dare forget about me!" Another shrill voice called out from down the hall as Yamanaka Ino jogged up towards them. She stopped to catch her breath and Hinata suddenly felt less uncomfortable. "Besides, someone has to make sure you don't drink too much like you did last time." Ino's pink lips curved into a smirk and a vein in Sakura's forehead pulsated.

"It's not polite to invite yourself, Ino Pig." Sakura said through gritted teeth. Ino scowled and flipped back her long platinum blond hair. Hinata brought curled fingers up to her lips as she watched what could potentially be a dangerous cat fight. Maybe this was why she never became friends with girls… because it was overwhelming. She couldn't imagine. Hinata and Hanabi rarely ever got into fights mainly because keeping the peace was so much easier.

"Hey, I'm not the one who got sick in the alleyway last week." Ino countered as she crossed her arms. "If you're the so-called Tsunade of our generation, you should learn to hold your liquor." Clearly it was a tangled mess of jealousy, hormones, and old rivalry that fueled their bickers. Sakura huffed and looked over at Hinata with a sense of determination.

"Hmph… Let's go! I know a good place." Hinata was too kind to say no and Sakura was practically dragging her out of the Hokage Building. Hinata felt some anxiety building up in her stomach and she hoped that it would be a nice and quiet evening. As they walked through the streets of Konoha, Hinata kept glancing back over her shoulder to see Ino who was following a distance behind them. The sun was just down past the mountains that watched over Konoha and a cool breeze came through. She looked over at Sakura who was grumbling complaints over Ino and her "insensitivity" under her breath.

Hinata was puzzled why the two girls still feuded over silly child hood things. She tried to remember why they even became enemies to begin with, but all signs pointed back to the Uchiha that seemed to sweep girls off their feet just with a glance of his eyes. Hinata thought back to the first time she met Sasuke, as very small children. Her memories were fuzzy and from what she remembered it wasn't much of anything. She had more memories of him being cold and distant than anything. Sasuke wasn't the center of her admirations. He was dark, mysterious and handsome of course but his personality was what kept her from jumping on the band wagon.

"Here we go! This place is pretty quiet and relaxing." Sakura said happily as they reached a restaurant that Hinata wasn't familiar with, but it was quiet since it was a week day. Once inside, they settled at a table and Sakura shot Ino a glare as she had followed them in. She smiled sweetly at Sakura and plopped down with them.

"Oh grow up, Billboard Brow. Let's just enjoy the night, shall we?" Ino said as she rested her chin on an open palm. Her lips seemed plagued with a constant smirk of pride as she stared down Sakura, who seemed to be holding back an insult. Hinata folded her hands in her lap and sighed to herself. She hoped that the whole night wouldn't be like this. A waitress came to their table before the two girls could bicker anymore.

"Sake for the whole table!" Sakura ordered immediately while she slammed her fist on the table and so it began. Hinata wasn't too sure what to think of alcohol. Sake was only reserved for special occasions with the Hyuuga clan and even when she turned of age it was just something that she'd never tried.

She recalled back to Kiba's birthday the previous year and how silly he had gotten when they had all gotten together at a local bar. In fact, Kiba had more pink on his cheeks than she did normally that night. He was also _very _friendly with her which caused her to blush at the memory. And of course, the following day at training Kiba paid the consequences and threw up several times which made Hinata wonder why even bother it at all.

The waitress returned to their table setting down two bottles of the potent liquid. Ino took one of the sake bottles and poured some in her saucer cup before taking a sip.

"Ahhh," She let out a satisfied sigh and smiled. "So Sakura you heard, right?" Sakura grabbed the ceramic bottle and poured some in her own cup, clearly trying to figure out a correct response. Hinata noticed her facial features harden and she chewed on her lip. _Sakura must know about Sasuke-kun…_

"Of course I heard." She snapped then downed the sake like a shot. Hinata watched carefully, trying to take some mental notes about how to properly drink, but her thoughts went elsewhere when their conversation turned more serious. Sakura sighed and rested her chin on folded hands.

"I actually heard it from Shikamaru. I couldn't believe it but… it's not in his nature to make something up. Too much work for him." She said as she traced little circles on the wood table top. Ino frowned gently as she finished the rest of the liquid in her cup. If Ino was going to be truthful, she'd say that she had lost interest in Sasuke long ago. Plus, Sakura held a special place in her heart: her first best friend, her first enemy and in essence her sister. They might fight back and forth but when it boiled down to it, Ino would risk her life to save the Haruno.

"Hmm, well maybe he's back for you!" Ino said thoughtfully, her cheeks already taking on a pink color. Sakura laughed bitterly at that and shook her head.

"No, he must have done what he left to do." She said, her eyes staring at the sake that gleamed up at her from the light. Hinata bit her lower lip and remained quiet. There wasn't much she could say at this point and it just wasn't her place. Besides, who was she to tell Sakura to move on? Hinata had feelings for someone just as oblivious. Ino shrugged.

"Well, you never know. If you ask me, he's kind of become a loser." Ino huffed into her sake. Anyone that felt like they were too good for her was a loser. Hinata was aware of the pride Ino had in her appearance. She had never really thought of things like diets or putting on excessive make up. If there was another reason for Hinata not hanging around other girls it was just how differently they thought. Ino's light blue eyes looked over in the Hyuuga's direction next to her and she frowned. "Hinata… you haven't even poured a drink!"

"Hmm? O-Oh, well… I don't know, I just…" Hinata's sentence wasn't forming right simply because she had been caught off guard. Sakura smiled gently and poured some sake into Hinata's saucer cup.

"Just try it. It's sweet and relaxing." Sakura said as Hinata stared at her almost in fear. "If you don't like it, then you don't have to drink it."

Dark eyes watched from across the room as Uchiha Sasuke sat in the corner of the restaurant. He was observant, especially glad that the table of girls hadn't found him yet. His own cheeks were pink as he finished off the third bottle of sake that evening. Ever since he became old enough to drink, it was one of his favorite things to do. Sasuke wasn't a drunk; he just always enjoyed the light headed feeling he got.

Of course he recognized the pink haired kunoichi. She was his former team mate from years ago who claimed her undying love for him and even offered to help him in his quest to find Itachi. It wasn't like Sasuke was completely cold hearted. He was slightly touched knowing that there was someone out there who would care that much. However Sasuke knew her intentions and he had no use for her to tag along. In fact, she would have only gotten in his way. Had she of asked now, and knowing how strong she was, perhaps he would have taken it into consideration.

Needless to say, Sasuke never had any feelings for her or any girl. He had little to no interest in love. There was never any time for that kind of nonsense especially during his teen age years. Maybe had Sasuke of grown up in a more stable and family-filled environment, he might be different. Sasuke suspected he would be entirely different. He might have dated Sakura. He might have even dated several other girls before finding 'the one', settling down and having his own Uchiha family. That would never happen now though because Sasuke refused to get married. There was no point in trying to change and fix what wasn't broken.

His eyes shifted towards the light blonde girl who laughed obnoxiously in her own drunken state. Sasuke slightly remembered her, but he really could care less about her. She was another one of the girls that seemed to latch onto his every word as well. _Nope._ The other girl sitting next to Ino was somewhat of a mystery. Had her eyes not been so wide from taking her first sip of alcohol, he wouldn't have known she was a Hyuuga. Those pupil-less pale eyes sparked some interest inside however he couldn't put a name to the face. Sasuke recalled having a Hyuuga in his classes through the years but ever since the massacre Sasuke stopped paying attention to useless things. He threw his entire being and soul into training, getting stronger, and fulfilling his revenge.

Sasuke reached for the fourth bottle of sake that the waitress had set down. He stopped bothering with his cup and took a swig while his eyes stayed still on the Hyuuga; she seemed like she would rather be anywhere else than here. She seemed uncomfortable. For some reason it amused him and it was probably the alcohol in his system. Sasuke looked away from the loud group of girls across the room and leaned back in his chair. His thoughts began to wander to his own personal life, like his time spent with his mother and his father.

His mind even traveled back to when he had finally cornered Itachi just a few months prior just miles from the border of the Land of the Fire to the west. Sasuke closed his eyes with furrowed eyebrows. Flashbacks of the fight between Kisame came through until there was only one left. From taking one look at his older brother, Sasuke knew that Itachi was sick. The way his eyes looked at him… he saw a look of defeat as if he was happy to know that he was going to die. Sasuke's hand balled into a fist as he thought even harder. Everything became overloaded in his mind which didn't mix well with intoxication.

Sasuke suddenly stood up deciding he had to piss. The alcohol went straight to his head and he stumbled backwards, knocking over his chair.

"Hey, watch where you're fucking going." A gruff voice called out to him and he whipped around with anger rising.

"Fuck off." Sasuke countered as his dark eyes traveled to the place of interest. Any normal human being might be intimidated by the large man in front of him but Sasuke had been up against worst. The man was not only tall but well-built and he got closer to the Uchiha.

"What did you say, boy? Do you want to say that again?" Sasuke laughed bitterly, feeling his adrenaline kicking in. His world was spinning, but he knew that this guy would be no problem. All it would take was a little chakra …

"I said _fuck off_." Sasuke repeated with an amused tone. The man stared wide eyed at him.

"Yeah that's what I figured you said." Before Sasuke had an opportunity to do anything, the man pulled back his fist and slammed it into Sasuke's jaw, which in turn sent him flying into a table behind him. Had Sasuke of not been drinking, he would have saw that coming a mile ahead of time. This got the attention of the entire restaurant, including Sakura, Ino and Hinata. Sakura's eyes instantly locked in on him.

"Sasuke-kun!" She screeched and got up to run to his aid. Hinata gasped with her hands covering her lips in shock. So it was true… Uchiha Sasuke _was _back. Sakura knelt down to Sasuke's side and tried to help.

"Get off me." Sasuke hissed as he sat up in the splinters of the table. Sakura frowned. The man who landed the punch just laughed.

"What a loser. Yeah, I heard you were back in town, Uchiha." He said. "Just like your entire clan, you're doomed to be a piece of shit." This only enraged Sasuke as he stood up. Within the blink of an eye, his Sharingan was activated as he stared the man down.

"Sasuke-kun, don't—" Sakura tried to reason with him, but his hand was already becoming electrifying with the Chidori. Hinata watched from afar, her eyes wide. She knew this wasn't who he really was. Hinata knew that deep down he was a good person… everyone was. The thoughts didn't sit well in her stomach to just an all-out brawl break. The ruckus caused to Ino stand up from the table and form the correct seal to use her Mind Transferring Jutsu.

"He can't do anything if I get there first." Ino mumbled. But Sasuke was already one step ahead as his eyes moved to look behind him. Just as her mind left her own body in search for the Uchiha's, he simply walked out of the line of her jutsu. _Hmph… and she's a Chuunin?_ Ino's jutsu ultimately missed her target and she cursed to herself as it would take some time for her to return to her own body. Sasuke's glare went back to look at the man who was seemingly amused by what was unfolding in front of his eyes.

"I dare you kid. Hit me with your best shot." He said and Sasuke felt the surge of anger in his body again. Sasuke was about to step forward and send his Chidori straight to this guy's chest. Something behind him moved, and his reflexes weren't fast enough, perhaps due to the alcohol in his bloodstream. Before he could turn around and beat the hell out of whoever it was, his arm holding the Chidori felt numb. His eyes narrowed at this feeling and he suddenly realized he couldn't move it, either. The Chidori in his hand was slowly beginning to disappear and he looked behind his shoulder angrily. Hyuuga Hinata stood behind him with two fingers perfectly dug into his arm blocking off his chakra flow. The veins in her eyes were prominent and those light eyes were staring intently at him.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Sasuke growled and whipped around to smack her. Luckily Hinata had great timing and she ducked while he swung around a useless arm.

"I-It doesn't need to be like this…" Her voice was ever so quiet and he glared dagger at her. _How dare her?! Does she not know who she's messing with?_ Hinata's gaze avoided his as she looked down at her feet. She was the type of person who disliked conflict; probably the worst person to become a ninja. But she couldn't stand the senseless violence, especially over something so silly and childish. Sakura's eyes were wide as the entire scene had played out in front of her. She never realized how brave Hinata had gotten in just those few moments. Sakura stepped forward and grabbed her arm.

"Hinata…" Sakura had finally snapped back to her senses as she pulled her back from the Uchiha. "I think we should go." Sasuke's eyes stared both of them down, the buzz from the alcohol creating a headache now. The entire situation had royally pissed him off. He had basically been made a fool of by a girl… a _Hyuuga_. Without a word, Sasuke reached in his pocket with his good arm and threw a pile of money on the broken table, and then headed towards the exit.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried, but she was only ignored as he slammed shut the door behind him. Her eyes glanced over to Hinata, who's mind was racing.

"I can't believe you did that." Sakura whispered to Hinata as the restaurant started to slowly recover from the 'brawl'. It seemed silly to her that Team Kakashi had searched endlessly for Sasuke for years, and weren't able to subdue him. It took a simple distraction, some alcohol, and a brave Hyuuga to get him to stop his wrath. Ino, who had finally returned to her body, stirred on the floor and she sat up.

"Ahh, my head… no one caught me!" She mumbled and got to her feet. Ino was so accustomed to having either Shikamaru or Chouji looking out for her during her Mind Transfer jutsus. "Hmm? Where's Sasuke-kun?" Both girls ignored her and Hinata felt her shoulders begin to relax.

"U-Um… I think I'm going to go." Hinata said warily and Sakura nodded with a frown. Tsunade wasn't going to be happy if word spread around like usual… If she heard about Sasuke picking a fight and almost destroying a restaurant, it wouldn't be good for him.

* * *

"He did WHAT?" Tsunade boomed before slamming her fists on her desk. It rattled her cup of tea and scared the jeepers out of the little pig on her lap. Shizune scratched the back of her head absentmindedly and forced a smile.

"No one was hurt! There was just a broken table and a few complaints." She said and Tsunade rubbed her forehead frustratingly.

"If he wants to be of higher rank so bad, he's not starting off well." The Fifth Hokage mumbled, half to herself and half to Shizune. "So? What kept it from becoming worse?"

"Well it turns out that Hinata-san was there. She was able to subdue his Chidori by cutting off the chakra flow through his arm." Shizune said thoughtfully. Tsunade leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. People liked to doubt Hyuuga Hinata simply because of her timid nature. Even Hinata had little to no faith in herself, but Tsunade knew that behind those quiet eyes, she could be one hell of a ninja. She just needed some extra guidance and motivation. It gave her an idea and a small smile spread across her lips.

"Shizune, Hyuuga Hinata should be here by now. Summon her to my office, please." Shizune stared at her curiously but she didn't ask questions.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." She turned to leave and opened the door to see a very hung over Uchiha Sasuke about to knock.

"Oh, good morning Sasuke-kun. Tsunade-sama has been waiting for you." Shizune said cheerfully. Sasuke didn't respond as he entered. He shielded his eyes from the bright morning sunlight that poured into Tsunade's office and he growled at the pulsating veins in his forehead. Tsunade smirked. "Late night?"

"No." Sasuke said immediately as he stopped in front of her desk. "Have you figured out what you want me to do yet?" He was known for being impatient and avoiding a lot of personal conversation. What he did with in his spare time was his own damn business. Sasuke didn't care if she was the Hokage. He just _did not care_ especially at this particular moment.

"As a matter of fact, yes I have. How are your organizational skills?" She asked as she sorted through some papers on her desk. Her eyes gazed through his Academy records. Sasuke shrugged.

"Decent." He wasn't in the mood for this. His head was pounding, his stomach was queasy, and there was a permanent frown on his lips. It was the perfect concoction for a very grumpy person. Tsunade noticed his skills excelled more with being physically active and also being precise during almost every exam. Uchiha Sasuke had definitely lived up to his expectations of being one of the greatest ninjas of the generation. However it was time to challenge him and get him out of his comfort zone for now. There was a knock on the door and Tsunade smiled sweetly at Sasuke.

"Come in." The door opened slowly and Hinata entered the office. She took one look at Sasuke and suddenly felt embarrassed.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't m-mean to interrupt!" Tsunade waved in her in.

"You aren't. Come in, Hinata." Sasuke looked at her from over his shoulder and he instantly became even more irritated. _That fricken girl… _Hinata cautiously stepped forward, planting herself a good distance away from the Uchiha. She felt her body shrink a bit under his radar, and she stood awkwardly awaiting orders from the Hokage. Tsunade observed the tension in the room so she decided to speak.

"Uchiha Sasuke… you've met Hyuuga Hinata. She is currently in charge of the document archives in the basement. As you know, it's a library full of public records, information and historical relics. It is also there to store away classified scrolls and documents that are _not_ available to the public. I'm appointing you as her assistant, but that doesn't grant you access to the classified sections." Tsunade said. Sasuke's face remained expressionless, however Hinata's face fell. _No…! Anyone but him._

"No." Sasuke said simply. Tsunade raised her eyebrow. "I refuse to work with her." Hinata wasn't sure if she should feel offended or happy that he somewhat agreed with what she was thinking. He was practically a stranger to her and he had temper problems. It was the worst possible scenario at this point, although this wasn't all completely based off of last night's situation. Sasuke hated being cooped up and he certainly didn't want to be stuck doing paperwork. He was the type of person that enjoyed being on missions and having some use of his abilities. Sasuke figured they stuck the Hyuuga girl down there because she wasn't that great on the field. Tsunade leaned forward in her chair and rested her elbows on the desk.

"That's fine. I'll just take you off the list for the Chuunin exams that are coming up in a few months then." She said, unrolling a scroll. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows in frustration. He was silent as his cold stare shifted over to Hinata. She didn't look excited about the decision either which led him to believe that maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He remembered her being quiet as it was during their Academy days and she never hung onto his arm like Sakura or Ino did. Sasuke sighed and crossed his arms in thought. _I need a drink. _

"I'll do it as long as it keeps me on the list." He said eventually with a defeated tone. Hinata's heart sank in her chest and she thought for a second maybe just flat out saying _she_ was the one who refused. Who knew how long she would have to deal with such an angry and negative person? However it wasn't the first time Hinata had to deal with people like Sasuke—her cousin and father were practically the same way. Tsunade smiled at Sasuke and looked over at Hinata.

"Good. Hinata, I know it's a pain but I have faith in you." The poor girl nodded slowly. Tsunade knew that it would be a challenge for both—more or less Sasuke. Hopefully this would help tame his off-the-wall ego and maybe even help him grow a little. Sasuke laughed under his breath at how she referred to him as a pain.

"Oh, and Hinata I would like to be well-informed on how Sasuke is doing. Then we can go from there and hopefully get things rolling." Her eyes stared straight into Sasuke's basically saying 'the sooner you accept this without a tantrum, the sooner you can get onto missions'. "You're dismissed." Hinata nodded and hesitantly followed Sasuke out of the office. Shutting the door behind her, Sasuke stood awaiting her _orders_. Hinata frowned and ran her fingers along the bumps in her braid.

"Um… I-I hope your arm is okay today. T-The affects should have worn off after a few hours." She said quietly as she began to walk down the hall. Sasuke followed shortly behind her, not saying a word. Silence fell between the two and it only dampened her mood even more than it already was. The only positive thing she could think of with Uchiha Sasuke was the small friendship they had as very young children. But one usually changes as they get older and in Sasuke's case, it was certainly a dramatic change.

Even though Sasuke's arm was perfectly fine, he didn't feel like having a conversation. His headache was still very much alive and her stutter was making it worse. Sasuke reluctantly followed her to the large door that led to the basement. He had been inside the library a long time ago when he first reached the Academy on a guided tour, so he figured it couldn't be that exciting. The thought of being surrounded by old documents sounded boring, but he tried to remind himself it was the only way. Besides, he might be able to snoop around for something involving his clan and jutsus he never got taught.

Hinata took the stone steps down into the basement and at the bottom she flipped on the switch. The room lit up and Sasuke glanced around observing how different the library was from his memories. Everything was one hundred times more organized, it wasn't as dusty, and things were labelled. His dark eyes looked over at her as her fingertips glided over the bookshelves while she walked. Sasuke refused to give her any credit. She turned to look at him.

"T-This is the Konoha Archives Department. As Tsunade-sama mentioned…this is where a lot of information is r-regarding many different things about the villages." She said quietly and Sasuke brought fingers up to rub his temples. He tried to listen as she continued.

"This main room is where all of the public information is stored. Anyone can come down and check-out scrolls or documents for 24 hours an-"

"Where is the classified section?" Sasuke interrupted suddenly and she frowned. Turning, Hinata pointed to a door at the far end of the large basement.

"All c-classified documents are stored in there. B-But like Tsunade-sama said, I'm the only one with access. There is a key to open the door that only me, Shizune-san and Tsunade-sama have." Sasuke acted as if he was ignoring her as he began to walk the many different aisles where bookshelves were set up. Books upon books as well as scrolls were all organized neatly and just the way it should be. Hinata watched him carefully and saw him reach the Clan section. Sasuke knelt down to balance on the pads of his feet while he observed the bottom shelf.

His eyes scanned the spines of the books, searching for more information on the Uchiha clan. He frowned when he only saw a handful of them. Hinata had followed him over, which slightly irritated him. Sasuke figured she would constantly be looking over his shoulder at everything he did. Although he knew the reason why, Sasuke just hated the way no one trusted him around here. He wasn't a cold-blooded killer like Orochimaru. Sasuke just knew what he liked and what he didn't.

"Is this all?" He said sharply. Hinata brought a loose fist up to her chest as the tone of his voice brought up quick memories of her father talking to her that way. Hinata approached him further and knelt down beside him, taking a look for herself.

"Y-Yes." She said quietly. It was quite sad to see such a small section of information on a clan when the Nara or Aburame clans, or even her own Hyuuga clan, had such large sections. Sasuke didn't say anything. He knew it wasn't her fault that there was little information, but there was no one else there to bitch at.

"This is _it?_" He asked again, before standing up. Hinata looked up at him and she, too, stood up. Empathy was her middle name so it struck a chord in her heart. She wasn't sure what to say.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was almost a whisper and he looked at her so suddenly that she flinched. Sasuke had no idea what she was apologizing for but he didn't really care. He shrugged his shoulders and dropped the subject.

"So what am I going to be doing?" He asked dully. Hinata looked over at him thoughtfully. There was a project that Hinata had been putting off, simply because it was a big task for one person.

"W-Well…" Her voice trailed off and he waited for her to continue. "An elder of Konoha passed away last week and in his home were a lot of documents of w-wars and the history of Konoha. So they were donated to the library. I just haven't gone through them yet."

Sasuke heaved a sigh. He already hated this. For the first time in years, Sasuke almost wished he was out on a mission with Naruto or something similar. His dark eyes met with her light eyes and she blushed, quickly looking away. There was something unnerving about him being so close to her and knowing that he could kill her in a split second. His eyes rolled as he crossed his arms.

"Well? Let's get this over with."


	4. Chapter 3: Friction

I...am...losing...MOTIVATION! D: I've just been so busy lately. But not to worry... I am still working of course just not as fast as I'd like to be. Once again, every favorite, follow and especially review is appreciated. I read them all and they warm my heart. YOU make me motivated. Enjoy~

* * *

It was silent as Sasuke sat at his desk across from hers. Both of them had scrolls and documents strewn around as they poured over them. There were at least three bins full of miscellaneous scrolls and papers that needed to be sorted, and from there they were compiled into like categories. And then they would be added to the archives and stored away in their proper place within the library. It was all very mundane and boring for Uchiha Sasuke. It took him back to his days at the Academy being stuck studying for exams or listening to lectures. As a child it didn't bother him, but after becoming an official ninja it was like down grading.

It had been a few hours since either had spoken. Sasuke found it hard to concentrate after so long and his eyes would look back up at the Hyuuga girl. Her eyes were staring intently reading what was written in front of her. She sat hunched over, occasionally making notes to the side, before deciding which bin to put the scroll in. Within just those few hours, Sasuke was able to observe all of her slight habits and mannerisms. If she was reading something horrific like death tolls during a war, then she would bring fingers up to cover her mouth. If it was something less serious, her concentration would break a little and she would play with loose strands of hair that fell around her face. Watching and taking mental notes was something he liked to do to everyone just in case one turned into an enemy down the road. He was always one step ahead of everything.

Sasuke realized after a while that she was unlike any girl he knew. Of course, he didn't know many girls to begin with—just the few that he graduated with or had a few flings with. He didn't mind that she didn't talk to him or attempt to flirt with him. The one thing that stood out the most was her lack of confidence. It was something he couldn't stand perhaps because he was _full_ of confidence. There was also something familiar about the way she hesitated to make her decisions. It was the feeling that sat right on the edge of his tongue, but he couldn't figure it out. It began to frustrate him so he decided to make it known.

"How can you stand to be down here?" Sasuke blurted out angrily and she jumped a bit in her chair. She hadn't expected him to suddenly speak and she had been completely lost in the papers before her. Hinata managed a meek smile as she watched him squeeze tired eyes shut.

"It's nice usually." She said gently. He opened his eyes and looked at her. Her voice was also familiar, but he figured it was just memories from the Academy. Sasuke shrugged himself off and rolled up a scroll he had stopped reading at least an hour ago. She had such a high tolerance for boring shit and he had little to none.

"Do you stay down here all day?" He asked after a bit. His stomach was rumbling as it was beginning to become lunch time. Hinata bit her lower lip.

"Most of the time. Um… if you want to leave for lunch, t-that's fine." She said, glancing back down at her scrolls. Sasuke took that cue and stood up without a word. He was almost regretting this whole thing; he could probably sneak into another village, get a new identification and work his way up the ranks that way. But Sasuke was tired of hiding and he knew his father would have beaten his ass if he ever came back to life. There were no shortcuts in life when one wants to live honestly. Perhaps that was why Orochimaru eventually met his end—too many short cuts in such short time.

Sasuke's footsteps echoed as he walked up the stone steps to reach the main floor from the basement. The Hyuuga girl lingered on his mind only to try and identify why he thought she was so familiar. As he searched his memory, his thoughts seemed to wander back to the familiarity of Konoha as he walked the busy streets. He never really thought that he would come back here. If Sasuke was going to be honest with himself, he figured that he would have died alongside his brother. Not to mention that he didn't really plan much for his life _after_ the fact. He was always prepared for that particular battle, his entire life dedicated to fixing the wrong. Just thinking about it made his headache return so instead of dwelling, Sasuke decided to settle on his old favorite vender on the streets.

He took a seat at the booth and leaned forward on his elbows. Sasuke didn't eat out much, but he hadn't had a lot of time to go to the grocery store upon his return, so this would have to do. The man behind the counter did a double take upon seeing Sasuke and he laughed resting the palms of his hands on the counter.

"Oh, Uchiha Sasuke. I heard you were back! It's been so long!" Sasuke nodded his greeting to the man and he remembered coming here often as an adolescent. The man took off his glasses, wiped the lenses on his shirt, and smiled. "I think I remember your usual order!"

"Hmph… some things never change around here." Sasuke said a smirk settling on his lips. Within just a few minutes, a plate was set in front of him. Even with such an expressionless face, Sasuke could feel his mouth watering. It was his favorite of course, rice balls with grilled vegetables on the side and a cup of tea. Before he could even pick up his chopsticks, someone ducked under the drapes and plopped down in the chair next to him. Sasuke could feel it a mile away, so he ignored it and broke apart the two wooden utensils. Picking up a vegetable, he put it in his mouth and chewed. _Just like I remember it…_

"What do you want?" He asked dryly after a silent minute had passed. A half lidded eye watched the Uchiha carefully, the other hidden behind a crooked Konoha forehead protector. Hatake Kakashi hadn't seemed to of aged much, as his gray hair usually made him look older anyway.

"Well, it's good to see you too, Sasuke." Words were spoken from behind the infamous dark blue mask as he rested his head on an open palm. "It's been a few years." Sasuke didn't say anything as he continued to eat his lunch. Kakashi was always someone who he never thought much of. He was once his sensei and taught him his trademark Chidori. They also somewhat shared similar abilities such as the Sharingan however Sasuke didn't care for the way Kakashi had gotten it. However, Kakashi was also a part of the many different recovery teams to try and get Sasuke back to Konoha. He never knew why they didn't just let him do his thing; he would eventually come back on his own and he did.

"Good afternoon, sir. Can I get you anything?" The man behind the counter asked as he dried a bowl. Kakashi shook his head politely.

"Ah, no. I am good, thank you." Sasuke took a sip of his tea and pushed his plate forward so he could rest his arms on the counter. Kakashi waited for him to same something, but when nothing came, he decided to push a bit.

"And Itachi?"

"What do you know about the Konoha Library?" Sasuke interrupted, clearly not in the mood to talk about personal subjects. It was no one's business. That was another thing he couldn't stand about this place—no one paid any attention to their own lives, but instead snooped around in everyone else's. Gossip was a waste of time and he'd have none of it. Kakashi frowned before running a hand through his messy hair. Sasuke was a man of business with little padding for small talk… that was something Kakashi saw hadn't ever changed.

"Well…" His voice trailed off as he thought about the library. "For a long time it was unorganized and not very well taken care of. But ever since Tsunade-sama has been Hokage, things have shaped up." Sasuke kept his gaze on his half eaten food and sat his mind swirling full of thoughts. He was itching to see what was hidden in the classified documents room and figured that a lot of the missing archives of the Uchiha Clan were in that room. Kakashi raised an eyebrow lazily.

"Do you not remember visiting it at the Academy?" Kakashi asked almost surprised. Sasuke shrugged.

"Not really. It was a long time ago." Sasuke reminded the old teacher next to him. This was a fact and Kakashi was silent for a moment. There were a lot of things hazy about Sasuke's past; he had cut a lot out of his life in order to remember the exact details of his clan's murder. He couldn't recall a lot before his brother committed the acts and even graduating as a ninja was blurry until he joined with Orochimaru.

"It seems that Hinata is doing a good job down there. Tsunade-sama also mentioned you are lending a hand." Kakashi said as if he was testing the waters, but Sasuke's silence seemed to be the disappointment he felt to having been assigned such a silly job.

"I should be a Jounin by now." Sasuke said eventually and Kakashi felt an eyebrow go up in curiosity. "You would probably be in ANBU by now." Kakashi said quietly and this only stirred the pot of annoyance building inside of Sasuke's chest. He thought about the elite ANBU and how it was a perfect fit for him. The only problem was the want. Sasuke had the skills, the intelligence and keen observation to become something great, but he didn't want to do it for Konoha. Sasuke reached down to drink the rest of the tea then put his hand into his khaki pants to throw some money on the counter. Sasuke stood up and turned to leave before Kakashi piped up once more.

"Naruto is well on his way to becoming Hokage." Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks and he allowed that bit of information to sink in. "I'm sure he would want you there by his side." He turned his head to the side slightly. Rumors were also a good way of catching wind of other people. It was just gasoline to the rage inside. His body felt heavy with jealousy that he would never admit even on his death bed. Sasuke didn't want to become Hokage and he certainly didn't care that Naruto was almost to the fulfillment of his dreams. Sasuke was so used to being ahead and being on top and now he was at the bottom starting all over again.

"We aren't a team anymore." Sasuke's voice was harsh and bitter. "I don't care what he does. I don't care what Sakura does. And the same goes for you too." The one thing that people often misunderstood of him was that he truly wanted to become a Konoha ninja to serve for the greater good of the village. Sasuke simply played along in the game until he got what he wanted—the strength and knowledge he needed to move forward with seeking revenge.

Of course, he also could have been lying to himself. There were times during his involvement with Team Seven that he found himself bonding with the others as if it was therapy to help soothe the wounds of the past. But over and over again he would have to remind himself of the task at hand. Sasuke wasn't like Naruto—he didn't need them to acknowledge his strength because they _already had_. He wasn't like Sakura who depended on others to feel needed. Sasuke could go days, weeks, even months without having a single person by his side and still be just fine. Sometimes he preferred it that way. Making his way up in rank was simply to catch up and continue from there as a stronger ninja. Kakashi watched Sasuke leave and he sighed gently to himself. _He's still got a lot to learn._

* * *

The door at the top of the stairs slammed causing Hinata to have a mini heart attack. Her eyes looked up to Sasuke returning from lunch and she offered him a small smile to which he didn't return. Sasuke's dark eyes were full of bitterness and anger from his conversation at lunch and he had little patience. As he walked to his desk, he noticed all of the scrolls and documents he had been going over were gone.

"Where is my stuff?" Sasuke asked defensibly, eyeing her with an accusing gaze. Hinata cowered slightly and stood up.

"O-Oh. Well, while you were gone, I went through them." Her voice was only slightly louder than a whisper and he only rolled his eyes. She was a mouse and he was a vicious snake just looking for the satisfaction of a meal.

"I could have done it on my own." He suddenly said while she chewed on her lower lip. Hinata knew that not only was Tsunade testing Sasuke, but this was also a test for her. She would never in a million years understand what girls saw in this man—he was rude, disrespectful and so irritable for no reason. But she had experience in dealing with this type of person back at home with her father and cousin, so it wasn't a complete surprise.

"I k-know but…" Her voice quivered as she locked and loaded an excuse. "I thought that i-it would go faster if I finished for you." This response didn't help. Sasuke didn't need to be undermined by a Hyuuga. He was far more superior to her.

"I don't need the Hyuuga Princess doing anything for me." He said coldly which prompted Hinata to look at her feet. _Hyuuga Princess…_ She was anything but that. Hinata remembered her father in a private conversation with the elders discussing how her place at the top was already filled with someone else—her younger sister. It caused an unintentional chain reaction of tears to form in her eyes, but she did her best to hide it. There was an awkward silence between the two and Sasuke grabbed his chair and sat down forcefully in it. _This is going to be a long few months_… His harsh eyes watched her seemingly shut down at his words before and something stirred in his stomach. _What the hell?_ Normally Sasuke wouldn't have thought twice about whether or not he had hurt someone's feelings. He had said worse to better people—he made Sakura cry almost on a daily basis once and trying to kill one's best friend wasn't exactly a nice thing to do.

The way that her eyes lost their gleam seemed to have an effect on him, though. He didn't dare let it show so Sasuke just rubbed his forehead irritably. The way that she chewed on her lip, fidgeted with her braid and of course her nervous stutter were all very annoying to him so he decided to get on with this whole thing.

"So what is next?" He finally asked. His voice had lost its bitterness and anger and was back to the monotone he was known for. Hinata glanced up at him and he noticed her quickly wipe away a tear. She was quick to dismiss it as she turned to move some papers on her desk.

"I have d-different piles with scrolls that need to be filed. I thought that this might be a good time to get you familiar with the book shelves." Her voice was small as if he had slapped her right across the face. It never occurred to him that perhaps her role in the Hyuuga clan had been ripped away from her. It never really struck him as anything he would care about. Sasuke willed away any thoughts otherwise and shrugged.

"Let's get this over with." Sasuke stood up and approached her. He noticed there were many different bins filled with papers, books and scrolls. Hinata must have gotten this done quickly because when he had left just an hour ago, there was still almost half a day's work to be done. Hinata grabbed a bin and walked over towards a large book shelf that sat up against a wall. Setting it down on the ground, she grabbed an old red book and in turn handed it to Sasuke who had lazily followed her over.

"This box is full of anything and everything about medical herbs, flowers and plants. Many of t-the books are outdated, but Tsunade-sama wants everything to be kept just in case of emergencies." Hinata said quietly. He took the book and flipped through it. The pages were worn and tearing at the edges. From what he could see at a glance, it was a bunch of crap he could care less about. Maybe Sakura would have more use for it. Hinata continued as she turned to the book shelf.

"Each book is ordered alphabetically and since that book focuses more on side effects of the medicines, let's put it right here." Her small fingers ran down the spines of the books and she pushed two aside to make room for their new addition. Holding in a sigh, Sasuke slid the book in and it fit snuggly. He looked over at her and noticed a small smile.

"Now what?" Hinata tapped her finger on her lips in thought.

"Now we record where it is located." She said and grabbed a clip board from the side of the book case. Each case had its own clip board indicating what was where, which in turn they would also add it into the main database. Sasuke watched her carefully as she marked down the title of the document, the numbered shelf, and a brief description of its contents. Normally Sasuke wouldn't give two shits, but she was well organized. Tsunade had definitely appointed the right person for the job, although he would never understand why she stuck him down here.

"D-Do you understand…?" She asked gently, trying not to say anything to sound like she was talking down to him. Sasuke grabbed the clip board from her without a word and began to dig through the box. With another book in his hand, he read the title, observed the book shelf, and repeated what she had shown him. Hinata smiled and he secretly saw the gleam return back in her eyes. Deciding that he was fine on his own, she walked back to her desk and grabbed another box full of documents. Hinata began working at another book shelf a few feet away.

A few minutes had passed in silence as both began putting documents and books away, writing them down on the clip board, and beginning again. Sasuke found the work to be mundane and repetitive, but it also allowed him time to think. If he was able to work up in just a few months, he could easily begin steady streams of missions. Then perhaps fix up the old Uchiha District or better yet—leave. Sasuke hadn't really decided on it. He wondered what his Father would want him to do. The thoughts only travelled back to his brother and he frowned upon it.

Itachi had been sick. It was something Sasuke never imagined would happen and the fight was anything but what he had dreamed. In fact Sasuke probably would have killed with him the swipe of a kunai at the state he was in. Sasuke tried to reason with himself… he was so angry that day. He was angry that he had wasted his life to get stronger only for Itachi to die on his own.

Sasuke stopped what he was doing and stood there, trying to will away the thoughts. Thinking only made things worse and this place made it easy to drift into the past. All of his decisions, morals, hard work and pain granted him _nothing_. Sasuke didn't kill Itachi, or so the rumor said. Sasuke watched his brother die in his arms instead. There was no revenge and there was no fulfillment. Nothing in his heart had healed and there was no satisfaction. Sasuke glanced at the books before him and suddenly felt very claustrophobic. He needed some air. Turning around, he saw Hinata; she was reaching up on her very tip toes trying to slide a book into place on the top shelf of the tall book case a few feet away. He crossed him arms as she struggled. Sasuke approached her closely from behind and reached up to push the book in for her. He was close enough for his lips to brush against her hair and hear her catch her breath.

There were a few things he noticed off the bat: her scent. It was a very subtle smell of vanilla and perhaps cinnamon—he wasn't very good with his spices. It wasn't over powering like Sakura who basically drenched herself in a flowery perfume. It was just… nice. Sasuke never cared for girls or their habits, but this sudden discovery left a positive mark on her in his book. He didn't know why.

The second thing that he noticed was the way she seemed to recoil at how close he got to her as if he was going to ambush her. Sasuke would admit that at times he was a complete asshole and usually never cared about anyone else's feelings. Had it of been anyone else that flinched at him, it would make his pride shoot through the roof. But with her, it almost seemed to offend him; here was this Hyuuga girl who knew _nothing_ about him and already assumed that he was some kind of monster. _What does she know about me? Nothing._

The last thing he noticed was her butt. It was a silly and guy-ish thing to do, but Sasuke _was_ a guy and he _was_ hormonal. It had been quite some time since he had been with a woman and he could only assume that she had never been with a man. When Hinata had reached up, her long sweater rode up to display her womanly behind and, well, sometimes eyes wander. At least she hadn't seen and he didn't have to act like he didn't see it.

Sasuke stepped away from her and she turned around with pink tinted cheeks. He crossed his arms once more and observed her behavior. Sasuke had to smirk as she smoothed down her sweater and began to run fingers down her long braid.

"Oh, t-thank you, Sasuke-kun." Hinata whispered and tried to smile. He, however, frowned when she threw on that title at the end of his name. It reminded him of Sakura and all the other girls who stood in line for him before he left. He hated it.

"Don't call me that." He said flatly and turned to start walking away. Sasuke didn't feel so crowded in the room anymore now that his thoughts had shifted elsewhere so he walked back to Hinata's desk. "Where do these go?"

The rest of the afternoon went rather quick because they both stayed relatively busy. There was quite a bit of things to be organized, put away and marked down and of course Hinata had to help him every so often. On the occasion, Sasuke would help her reach the top of the book shelves, but only a few times. Whatever made his job easier he didn't care.

It was also relatively quiet, as well. Neither asked questions, unless it was Sasuke wondering where something went. Hinata was somewhat curious of Sasuke's reasoning for returning. It was as if he had vanished into thin air and then just magically re-appeared acting like nothing was wrong. His whole life was based off of one person and that was his brother…and _killing him_. Hinata couldn't imagine seeking revenge on her sister, or even Neji, for that matter, even though their relationship was somewhat bitter. Perhaps it was because she was so timid and forgiving… or another reason that crept into her mind was the word 'weak'.

And not much to her surprise, Sasuke never poked or prodded her about no longer being the heir to the almighty Hyuuga clan. It was something that she could see in people's eyes; curiosity and even pity for her. Hinata recalled Kiba and Shino offering their sympathies but neither could ever understand. It was something she didn't even enjoy thinking about… the cold stare her father gave her as he discussed Hanabi taking her spot always gave her chills. Each had their own solemn thoughts which led to a quiet and depressing day.

Eventually they had worked through much of the afternoon and into the evening. Hinata stretched her legs a bit as she stood up from pushing books into the bottom shelf and she glanced over at Sasuke. His expression was disgust and she could tell he was ready to go. She smiled gently and glanced over to her desk. There were a few bins left, but they could wait until tomorrow.

"A-Alright. I think we're done for today." Hinata said and Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. The day had been boring, repetitive, quiet and somewhat annoying but… it wasn't as bad as he had thought. Although he could have used his time for something much better like training or missions.

It was strange to be leaving with someone in her library since it was usually just her but Hinata followed Sasuke towards the stair case, and flipped the lights off. They were both silent as they reached the top of the stairs, only to be greeted by a loud and echoing 'Sasuke!'

Uzumaki Naruto had been waiting by the door like a puppy, as per instructions from Tsunade 'not to go bothering them while they worked'. Uchiha Sasuke's eyebrow twitched as his personal space was invaded by an unexpected hug. Hinata had a surprised look on her face as she shut the door, but it was hard not to smile softly at the scene. Of course Sasuke wanted nothing to do with this as he shoved off Naruto.

"Get off me." He said dryly and brushed a wrinkle from his shirt. Naruto could care less. He beamed brightly, following Sasuke as he walked.

"I _knew_ you would come back eventually!" He said and crossed his arms while that grin never once faltered. "Hey, let's go get something to eat! There's a lot I wanna ask and then may-"

"No." Sasuke said simply as they walked down the hall. Hinata stayed a few feet behind, hoping not to intrude upon their reunion. It was true, Naruto hadn't seen the Uchiha in years and this was the moment he had been waiting for. Hinata smiled gently, her gaze locked in on the blonde haired ninja. She knew deep down that he would never notice her the way that she wanted and perhaps it was time to move on. However every time she told herself to stop and to let it go, the feelings would bubble back inside as if she had no control over it.

"Aww, come on." Naruto's voice began to get whiny, but he looked back to the Hyuuga who in turn shot her gaze to her feet. "Hinata! What do you think? Should Sasuke stop being a bastard and come hang out with his best friend?" Sasuke only rolled his eyes. _As if her opinion would matter…_

"O-Oh, well… um." She wasn't sure what to say, but Naruto's eyes watched her intently as he walked backwards down the hall. "You've both worked r-really hard… I mean… you should treat yourself every now and then."

"See?! I knew you were smart, Hinata." Naruto exclaimed, happy that he wasn't the only one who thought so. It suddenly dawned on Sasuke that perhaps he could pry some information out of Naruto about the Fifth Hokage. Maybe he could get an inside look at what was going on behind the scenes in this building. Sasuke and Tsunade weren't terribly familiar with each other since he had left the village shortly after she became Hokage. She probably knew more about him than he cared to know about, but he might have to figure something out to get her to lighten up on him. Sasuke would never be one to kiss ass, but he was also one not to be patient.

"Fine. One drink, that's it." Sasuke eventually said, much to both Hinata and Naruto's surprise. This gave Naruto a jolt of excitement as he turned around to race Sasuke to the exit of the building.

"Alright! Let's go get some ramen! And since it's been a rough few days, I'll get a bottle of sake for us." He said as he kicked the door open. Naruto's eyes settled on the quiet Hyuuga girl who was the last out the door. "Hinata, wanna come?"

Hinata's cheeks reddened and Sasuke had just barely caught a glimpse of the reaction from her. His dark eyes closed as he thought over it and it was very easy to see; she had some sort of feelings for Naruto. Sasuke was well aware what that was like, having girls hanging onto his every word and watching his every movement in his life. Since Sasuke didn't recall seeing her in his 'fan clubs', he figured that she must have had these feelings for quite some time. Of course this was all just an educated guess, and little did he know (or care), he was right.

"N-No thanks, Naruto-kun." Hinata managed to say and Naruto shrugged indifferently towards her.

"Suit yourself!" He said as his attention returned back to the Uchiha. The sun was just in its final stages of setting and the usual warm air had cooled down to a more comfortable temperature. The three had hit the main street, where Hinata was about to take her path home.

"Good night, Naruto-kun…" Hinata said which didn't manage to overpower Naruto's loud and obnoxious stories. Sasuke stopped walking as his cold gaze settled on her. Hinata noticed him staring at her and she immediately looked to her hands. Naruto also stopped.

"Eh?" He said, confused as he absent mindedly scratched his cheek. Sasuke crossed his arms and tilted his head in her direction. "Oh! See ya Hinata!"

She looked up and it was if the whole world had been served to her on a silver platter. Hinata smiled genuinely and her blush only deepened. Sasuke closed his eyes, half annoyed and half confused. He would never understand girls and the little things that could make them so happy.

"Good night Sasuke-kun." Hinata said as she folded her arms behind her back.

"I told you to stop calling me that." Sasuke said with little emotion as he began to continue forward. Naruto jogged a bit to catch up to him and he crossed his arms behind his head with a slight snicker.

"She sure is…different." Naruto said thoughtfully. "She isn't like any of the other girls around here. I guess I can't put my finger on it…" There was no response from the Uchiha as he was mainly thinking about how thick headed his former team mate was. _How can you not see…? _Either way, Sasuke didn't want to talk about the Hyuuga girl, nor did he want to talk about girls in general. He somewhat figured that everyone else in the Rookie Nine had matured and had thoughts of settling down, but he didn't.

He was more interested in business rather than pleasure. Of course, Sasuke allowed himself to live a little, hence why he had taken a liking to alcohol and the occasional female companion. It was a nice numb feeling that took away the daily stresses of training, travelling and now an annoying Naruto. Perhaps they would need more than one bottle of sake.

They reached the ramen stand just as the last ray of the sun had disappeared behind the mountains. Japanese lanterns hung about outside to light the way for the night time and as Sasuke sat down, he observed that not much had changed since their younger years. The old man still worked behind the counter with his daughter whom he never really caught the name of.

"Oy! I'm back!" Naruto said as he jumped into his seat. The young woman frowned and rested her hands on her hips.

"Naruto, is there anything else in your diet besides ramen for breakfast, lunch and dinn-"

"Hush you. He's a paying customer." Her father reminded and Naruto nodded.

"To answer your question, _no_ and get me my usual! Oh, and a bottle of sake." The old man looked over in Sasuke's direction and awaited an order from him as well.

"Sake. That's it." Sasuke muttered as he rested his arms on the counter. If Naruto was right about anything, it was that it had been a long and tedious day. Had he of known that ranking up would have been such a pain in the ass, he might of just continued on his travels, but that wasn't really what he wanted. Deep down inside Sasuke's chest, the feeling of just living a normal life was tugging at his heart. He knew from the moment he stumbled upon his murdered family that he would never be able to stop looking over his shoulder under his brother was brought down. He had sort of reached a plateau of 'what now'?

"So what have you been doing all these years? We looked everywhere for you." Naruto said as he picked at a thread on his jacket. Team upon team had been out over the years to search for the missing ninja especially after the discovery of Orochimaru's dead body. The same could be said for Kabuto but the new rumor that was sparking around town was that he was spotted in the outskirts of the Village Hidden by Sand but once again… rumors usually had little to no merit.

"Why else would I be back?" Sasuke asked as a bottle of sake and two saucer cups were set in front of them. He wasted no time in pouring himself a drink. Naruto's features became serious and he nodded slowly as those words sunk in.

"So… he's really gone?" Naruto only asked specifically because for a while the eldest Uchiha had been after him and the nine tailed fox inside his body. As much friction that existed between the two ninja, there was a somewhat mutual understanding at this particular moment as Sasuke's silence proved to be the right answer. But Naruto didn't have time to dwell on it much as a steamy bowl of ramen was placed in front of him. His eyes began to water, whether it was from excitement or the steam, no one was too sure.

"This has been on my mind all damn afternoon!" Naruto said happily as he broke apart his chop sticks. Sasuke was on his third pour and the alcohol was starting to slowly make his body feel less tense and the frown line in between his eye brows was also disappearing as well. Sasuke figured this was the perfect time to nonchalantly dig into the pool of information that swirled Naruto's brain.

"Kakashi tells me you're working with the Hokage." Any normal person's voice would be filled with joy and excitement for Naruto, but Sasuke's was slightly dripping with jealousy. Naruto didn't notice as he slurped at the long noodles in his bowl.

"Mmhmm! Actually, it's more of a drag than I thought. If you think being cooped up with Hinata is boring, try the old lady. She constantly nags." Naruto said with a childish tone as he picked up his bowl. Sasuke felt the urge to laugh at his stupidity but instead he took another drink from his cup.

"What did you expect?" Sasuke asked as the sake was making him be more vocal than usual. "It's all a bunch of bullshit paperwork and sitting behind a desk."

"Not _all_ of it." Naruto said trying to defend himself. He paused to drink the liquid from his bowl, knowing that Sasuke wouldn't have much to say. "I mean, yeah, most of it." Sasuke smirked and closed his eyes.

"So what are you, a Chuunin then?" Sasuke asked nosily and Naruto adjusted the Konoha band around his forehead with a grin.

"A Jounin, actually!" Naruto was about ready to piss himself with excitement, just knowing that Sasuke was _two ranks_ below him now. Sasuke's face remained expressionless as it usually did even though his insides were churning with hate. _Watch it. You're on thin ice, Naruto…_ Sasuke just took another drink,

"How'd that happen? Did you beg the lady to give it to you?" Sasuke muttered and Naruto crossed his arms.

"Ch, you wish." Naruto grumbled as he grabbed the bottle of sake. "What the hell! It's empty." He glanced over at Sasuke who shrugged his shoulders innocently. _Whoops._ His gaze met with the old man's and he nodded, placing another bottle in front of them. Naruto snatched it before Sasuke had a chance and he poured himself a cup. They were silent for a while before Sasuke sheepishly opened his mouth.

"So… how did you do it?" He asked as his cheeks became tinted with the effects of the alcohol. Naruto looked over, surprised at how he was suddenly interested in his personal life. His blue eyes hovered over Sasuke before looking back at the sake and taking a drink. The taste was bitterly sweet and it was easing the stress from his shoulder blades. He rubbed the back of his neck and heaved a small sigh.

"Well, I wasn't even a Chuunin yet when she promoted me." Naruto said very vaguely and Sasuke stared intently at him to pressure him to keep going. Naruto's features became sullen. "We had caught wind of your whereabouts to the north about a few years ago so we got the order to head out and take a look."

Sasuke took another drink of his sake, trying to act as if he didn't care, but he was listening closely. Naruto also took this opportunity to take a drink.

"We found one of Orochimaru's old hide outs in the forest. Of course we were prepared for anything and everything… traps, henchmen, Kabuto…you." There was a pause which didn't totally catch Sasuke off guard. He kept quiet. "We were even prepared for Orochimaru just as always. But we didn't know that we'd find him dead."

Sasuke closed his eyes, remembering back to when Kabuto was in talks of betraying the almighty ninja. He wanted nothing to do with it because it didn't concern him. Sasuke had been getting close to leaving at that point anyway, but Orochimaru must have been dead for a long time when he was discovered. He also recalled hearing that rumor as well… It was whispered in hush between prisoners, from town to town and there was truth to the whole thing. _Hmph… well I'll be damned._ His thoughts were bitter.

"So you got promoted because you happened to stumble on a ninja with a bounty on its head?" Sasuke spat coldly. Naruto stared at his former team mate with an uncharacteristic frown settling on his lips.

"Well, we found a lot of stuff." Naruto said solemnly. "We found a lot of…bodies and experiments. When it all boils down to it, we took a lot of his findings that had been written down. I mean, you knew of all that stuff going on, right?"

"It wasn't my business." Sasuke said dryly. Naruto narrowed his eyebrows and turned his body to the man next to him.

"None of your business? They were human beings! You were just another experiment too!"

"I didn't condone it. I just had my own priorities at the time." Sasuke was calm while a surge of anger was flowing through Naruto. Perhaps he was more immune to such horrible things. Sasuke didn't agree with Orochimaru and his way of trying to advance jutsus by using humans as guinea pigs. However, most of those test subjects were willing to give up their bodies to the science, hoping to be provided with immense power. Most never made it.

"So advancing to a Jounin isn't based on a test… it's up to the Hokage?" Sasuke eventually asked and Naruto suddenly realized that Sasuke was just there to milk information out of him. He shouldn't have been surprised, but he was. After all this time of searching and risking his life for his friend, nothing had changed between them. Naruto stood up warily and shoved Sasuke in the shoulder. It was as if he was throwing rocks at a sleeping lion—one had best deal with the consequences.

"Watch it, Naruto," Sasuke growled as he spilled sake on his shirt. Naruto shook his head, his cheeks clearly pink. Sasuke had never seen a drunk Naruto so while it was entertaining him slightly, it was also annoying him.

"No you watch it! We all worked our asses off trying to find you and you still haven't changed! You got your revenge so it's time to move on!" He blurted, clearly not choosing his words wisely. Sasuke stood up so suddenly that the counter rattled. He got close to Naruto's face but neither were backing down.

"I was never your friend. I didn't need to be saved. It's your own fault that you kept hanging onto something that was_ never there_." Sasuke seethed. His dark eyes stared into Naruto's blue eyes and he saw something fade within them. It reminded him of Hinata's eyes when he said something hurtful to her earlier that day. Something stirred in his chest again and he whipped around to leave. _This is bullshit. I shouldn't feel bad for anyone. _

Sasuke expected Naruto to run after him, tackle him to the ground and try to knock some sense into the Uchiha just as he probably would have done so many years prior. But Naruto didn't. They weren't children anymore. Sasuke was a grown adult who could make his own decisions and Naruto was set to be crowned the Hokage in the near future. Even the kindest of hearts had their limits and after more than ten years of pushing, Naruto was finally going to give in. Sasuke told himself over and over again that he could care less, but there was another feeling inside fighting back saying _let someone in_.


	5. Chapter 4: Growth

A big thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited and reviewed... I was losing motivation mainly because my life has been so busy. But I started to watch a few more episodes of Shippuden and needless to say I'm back on track. You guys are amazing. :)

* * *

A crack of thunder awoke Sasuke with a start as he sat up in bed. Rubbing his face in his hands, his groggy eyes traveled over to the clock that sat on his night stand. He still had a few hours to go until his alarm went off, but a small ache sat behind his eyes and he attributed that to too much alcohol the night before…and the night before that, too. Sasuke sighed and kicked his sheets away before standing up. Aside from the soft pitter-patters of the rain outside, everything was quiet and it was barely light out. Every so often a rumble of thunder would shake the walls so out of pure boredom and curiosity he watched out the window as the puddles danced outside.

It didn't rain very often, probably once every few months, but when it did it had to make up for its absence so it would usually pour down all day. In his own mind, rain was the perfect weather for training because it helped keep one cool and it made one more focused as well. Sasuke stretched his arms before crossing them on his chest to think. He hadn't really trained in quite some time, which was unusual for him. Sasuke had let himself slack for long enough so he decided now would be a good time to get in some training before he had to head to Hokage building later that morning.

He wasted little time getting dressed and hastily tied on his pack to his thigh for easy access to his kunai and shuriken. Before he left the door, Sasuke grabbed his sword as well, not daring to leave it behind. It had been some time since he had used it and he didn't want to get rusty just because he wasn't assigned any missions.

Just as if he was thirteen again, Sasuke walked nonchalantly through the wet streets of the village, on his way over towards the training grounds. The rain seemed to have an impact on the traffic compared to what he saw the other day—the whole village was practically a ghost town but he didn't mind. One thing he never really took into account was how comfortable he felt back in the Village of the Hidden Leaves. It was truly home to Sasuke even though everyone throughout the land had heard him say how much he hated Konoha. It was bittersweet; it brought back good memories like when he accompanied his mother to the fruit stands and he got to pick out his own apple. However it also brought back other memories like sitting all alone at the small lake just outside the market district. It only signified his loneliness and helplessness as a child after his clan's demise.

He walked past a closed vendor that Sasuke remembered usually handed out sweets. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks as a memory flashed in his mind. The rain pelted on him from above, but he wasn't even in the right state of mind to care. Sasuke could see light eyes that were so full of fear watching him from behind a man. _I know her._ Before he could pinpoint what he was remembering a sharp rumble of thunder snapped him out of it. He glanced around seeing no one; Sasuke was all alone. He rubbed his temples figuring his hangover must really be messing with him.

For Sasuke, memories likes to pop up out of nowhere on the occasion. It wasn't unusual for him to have a flashback to a specific time and it was usually triggered with a location, a scent, or a nostalgic feeling. It wasn't like he didn't remember much of his childhood, but more or less; he had to make room for more important details such as observing a suspicious character or particular details.

The entrance to the forest leading to the training grounds was getting closer, and Sasuke could feel adrenaline and chakra flow through his body in excitement. Much to his delight, the training area was completely empty which gave him plenty of room to spread out. Before doing any sort of exercise, Sasuke liked to stretch out his muscles, which was one thing his brother taught him well. He remembered watching his brother doing squats (which at the time he thought were silly) and Sasuke poked fun at him. It was only then that Itachi grabbed him by the scruff of the neck to playfully show him who had the authority.

Sasuke smirked as he swung his arms feeling satisfied at how loose his muscles were now. Back when he was with Orochimaru, he had a routine he did during training. He even had one when he was a part of Team Seven, but he had since outgrown it. Jutsus had evolved, new ones had been learned, and it struck him with pride how much he had come as a ninja, but it didn't surprise him, or anyone, for that matter.

Quickly reaching down into his pack, Sasuke grabbed a few shurikens in his hand then a few in the other and began to run through the grounds. Leaping up into the air, he copied the same exact moves he saw his brother do all those years in his training. Everything was precise, sharp, and without mistake as the sounds of metal clinking through the air filled his head. It was like music to his ears… it was something he hadn't heard in quite some time. After Itachi died, Sasuke wandered for a few weeks before figuring out what he was going to do. Everything was on the back burner as he silently mourned his brother's death.

Sasuke wanted his brother dead, but _he_ wanted to be the one to do it. Considering his luck, he almost laughed as Itachi took his last breath in his arms. To seal Itachi's fate forever, Sasuke burned his body to make sure that no one could get ahold of those eyes. There was no burial and nothing for anyone to pay their respects to—not that anyone had respect left for the eldest Uchiha brother.

The muscles in Sasuke's legs burned with excitement as he landed on his feet. All weapons had hit their target right once he landed, but he didn't stop to celebrate. Without missing a beat, Sasuke ran while unsheathing his sword from behind him. Chakra was flowing through his body as the water poured down on him and lightning erupted through the blade which cut stone targets cleanly in half. Sasuke never allowed himself to stop for a breather, so instead he continued on with the new routine he was making up as he went.

His eyes glanced over at a tree towards the entrance of the training grounds and he could sense something…someone watching him. He had felt it shortly after he began but Sasuke figured he'd give whoever it was a nice show. With lightning fast reflexes, Sasuke suddenly disappeared from the middle of the grounds and landed right behind the person who had hidden themselves behind the tree. With his sword extended, he looked up to see a familiar cowering stance and a familiar looking butt.

Hyuuga Hinata squeaked as Sasuke appeared behind her, and she stood frozen. She could feel her knees beginning to shake and an overwhelming feeling was taking over her. Of course, there were many different ways she could get herself out of this particular mess; activate her Byakugan, use her own quick reflexes and bop the sword right from his hand. However, this wasn't just an ordinary foe, this was Uchiha Sasuke one of the, if not thee, the best ninja in their generation. He was a pupil of Orochimaru and had killed many people with just his pinky finger. He was lightning fast, calm, collected and there was little that could stand in his way. All it would take is one swipe for her to be gone. A crack of thunder shook the ground and she didn't dare flinch.

"Why are you watching me?" Sasuke asked without emotion to his voice. Hinata's mouth was dry even as rain drops fell on her lips. She tried to say something but not much came out. Sasuke waited patiently.

"Oh… well I u-usually t-train with my t-team here in the mornings." Her voice was barely audible over the rain drops that fell through the tree branches. Sasuke was still as he watched the back of her head. There was a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach while he held his sword up as if he was threatening to hurt something so fragile and innocent. Not that he had any intention of harming her—she wasn't worth the effort. Sasuke enjoyed his privacy and when his territory was threatened, he took action like a snake. Sasuke withdrew his sword and slipped it back in its sheath behind him. His eyes never once left her.

Hinata heard the metal slide back but it didn't change her uneasiness. Shino had left with his father for a clan-specific mission to another part of the land for the investigation of a new species of bugs and Kiba was also off somewhere for Tsunade. In order not to get behind, Hinata would continue training without them however Sasuke had beaten her to the training grounds. She remembered watching in awe as he moved in a mixture of grace and speed to the rhythm of the raindrops. It was something she only saw in highly advanced ninja like her father. It was also frightening to her… like the dark orange chakra that moved throughout Naruto's body, this was similar. Anything could happen and she wouldn't be able to react fast enough. Uchiha Sasuke was terrifying on all levels, mainly because she had watched him grow up before her eyes into some kind of…monster.

Sasuke's feet turned and he shook his head as he began to walk away from her. She turned to watch him walk away and she let go of the breath she had been holding. He was so unpredictable and she wasn't familiar with his behavior yet. It would have been easier if she was stuck in a basement with someone like Chouji or even Ino…both were easy to predict and she knew exactly what was important to them: food and vanity. Hinata didn't know what Sasuke liked, if he liked anything at all. She knew more of his dislikes than anything else.

Her muscles relaxed as she no longer felt his presence in the training area. She no longer had the heart to train and it was a good thing Kurenai was no longer looking after their sessions any longer. Deciding to blame it on the thunderstorm, Hinata decided to head to the Hokage Building earlier than usual. It would be nice to spend a few hours alone before Sasuke got in. It was going to be a quiet and awkward day.

* * *

The rain continued throughout the late morning hours as the rumbles of thunder were even audible down within the lower levels of the Hokage Building. The library was quiet otherwise except for the occasional shout from what only sounded like Naruto from the level above hurrying to get to where he needed to be.

Sasuke's eyes would slowly glance up to gaze at the quiet Hyuuga that sat across from him in her desk. She was clearly ignoring him or at least seemed very into the documents in front of her. He also observed that the Hokage Building's electricity wasn't the best. After every rumble of thunder, the lights above would flicker, but it didn't seem to bother either of them. Neither spoke about the events that had unraveled that morning at the training grounds. Hinata wasn't sure if she was embarrassed or scared, but she had avoided all eye contact with the Uchiha and only spoke when it was absolutely necessary.

Hinata's project for the day was finishing up with the newly inherited items from the previous day and adding them into the large database. The large database was open to the public, especially for those who were looking to check-out scrolls and/or documents. It consisted of a large book sitting near the entrance and Sasuke figured it probably had more than five hundred pages in it. When she asked him to grab it and bring it over to the desk, he thought about laughing at her. However, Sasuke did as he was told without a word as to not look weak and he hauled it over. _This thing must weigh a fucking ton…_ Hinata walked over to his desk hesitantly and stood next to him. She leaned down and opened the book's large cover, then began thumbing through pages.

His dark eyes watched her intently and he could sense something coming from her. Perhaps it was the way her chakra flowed at a faster rate than usual or maybe it was her nervous antics. He crossed his arms as her small index finger traced over words until she stopped.

"O-Okay. All of the documents that were put on the shelves yesterday must be added here… this is called the main database." Her voice was quiet as it normally was. "Anyone can check out documents, of course, and this is what they can use to find specifically what they're looking for." She reached over to grab a few papers sitting to the side.

"This is organized by topic. Go through and add in the title of the documents and its location." Her heart pounded for a slight second when he eyed her. "P-Please." Sasuke took the papers from her and then pulled the book closer to him.

"I'm not going to kill you." He said as he picked up his brush before dipping it in the black ink that sat on the desk. Hinata brought a finger up to her lips as if he caught her doing something silly. She frowned and turned away. If he wasn't going to kill her, then why draw his sword at her? Hinata fumbled with her braid as she walked back over to her own desk and sat down. It was unlike her to ignore comments but she had nothing to say. The words just couldn't form in her head so she simply ended the conversation there.

Sasuke exhaled quietly as he sat and did his work. This whole 'desk job' thing wasn't his thing at all. He wasn't the type of person who enjoyed the easy things in life because there was little to no challenge in sitting down here. Hinata got enjoyment out of being surrounded by knowledge and quiet happenings. Sasuke found his pleasure through releasing built up chakra, protecting the ones he cared for (which didn't really apply in this case) and moving on to the next mission.

A sneeze interrupted his thoughts as he looked over at her. He was about to say something about how she shouldn't have been standing in the rain earlier that morning but something interrupted his thoughts. His ears perked as he heard voices and footsteps clomping down the stairs towards the library. Hinata also heard them and stood up at her desk.

The door opened as a handful of children piled down the stairs and Sasuke was immediately regretting everything about this entire situation. _I hate kids…_ Hinata smiled and walked over. A voice came from the stairs that struck a memory in Sasuke's brain.

"Alright, alright… quiet down. Your voices echo down here and it's too damn loud." Sasuke crossed his arms at the male's voice and he leaned back in his chair. _Nara Shikamaru._ Hinata smiled as Shikamaru barely made it down the stairs and he stepped over the small rambunctious children who were staring at the large bookcases in wonder.

"I-I wasn't expecting you, Shikamaru-kun." Hinata said quietly. Shikamaru exhaled lazily and slipped his hands into his pockets. Sasuke didn't realize that he had become an instructor at the Academy. If he cared enough, he would have wondered what Iruka was up to, but he didn't.

"Yeah… meant to tell you earlier but…" His voice trailed off but Hinata already figured it was because it was extra work on his end. She didn't mind; she welcomed the company. Anything that would end the awkward silence between her and Sasuke was welcome. His eyes travelled over to the Uchiha who was sitting contently over at his desk. _So it's true. Hmm… _The chatter amongst the children was beginning to get even more loud as Shikamaru clapped his hands together for attention.

"Hey now. Listen up. This is the newly renovated Konoha Documents Archive…"

"Hmmm, this sign says the Konoha Library." One kid piped up as he pointed to a large plague on the wall. Shikamaru shot him a lazy glare to which the boy cowered slightly.

"…and this is Hinata-san. She is the head of this area." He finished. Hinata felt her cheeks grow warm when the sudden attention spotlighted her. The children in the group were between the ages of 6-7, just like when she entered the Academy. It brought back a nostalgic feeling, and it was funny how far they had come. Here Shikamaru was as an instructor and here she was in charge of many classified documents. It fueled a sense of pride inside.

"Good morning, Hinata-san." The class said boredly in unison. She nodded with a smile.

"W-Welcome! Now as you can see, this is the basement of the Hokage Building. Here there are hundreds of different books, scrolls and documents all full of information-"

"Like what!?" One kid interrupted. Hinata brought a finger to her lips thoughtfully.

"Well… just about anything you can think of, really."

"Oh yeah? Is there a book on summons!?" One girl asked as she waved her hand in the air. Hinata smiled and nodded. This created an excited chatter.

"What about love stories?" Another girl asked. Hinata was about to nod, but she frowned.

"O-Oh, no. This library is mainly used for gathering information about specific clans, jutsus or historical references…" Sasuke dipped his brush in ink and smirked to himself. Kids were idiots. He recalled himself even being very naïve about the world.

"Hinata-san! You're saying there aren't any stories about a knight and a princess?" The girl pressed and Shikamaru rested his heavy hand on her head.

"The library in the market is the store you'd find those there. Now listen up, this is an important place." Shikamaru muttered and the little girl blushed with embarrassment. Sasuke rolled his eyes. _Love stories… princes, princesses, knights in shining armor, fairy tales… they're all a waste of paper._

"Well, if you'll follow me, I will give you a quick tour." Hinata said quietly and the children nodded. She walked around the many bookcases, explained how it was organized, and what types of information one could gather at each shelf. It was a very quick and brief tour mainly because a lot of this wouldn't be of much use to them at this stage in their life. However Hinata noticed lately that the class that was set to graduate this year had been visited frequently, reading up on jutsus and historical information. She wished they had the much improved library during her time at the Academy.

"Alright class, take a few moments to look around on your own. But please, please… do not touch anything." Shikamaru said tiredly and the kids scattered as they trotted to bookcases. He sighed heavily and leaned up against a bookcase. Shikamaru glanced over at Hinata who was trying to stifle a sneeze.

"Hey. Since when did Tsunade-sama decide to punish you?" He asked dryly. Hinata stared at him confused but when he nodded over in the direction of Sasuke, she glanced down to her feet.

"Oh… um. It's only until he can prove that he's trustworthy." She said. Shikamaru shrugged.

"Well, I'm just glad she didn't stick him with me." He said with a slightly pained look washing over his face. Hinata smiled politely. "I heard Ino gossiping that he almost destroyed a bar." Her thoughts took her back to the other night and it made her cringe at the way Sasuke had glared at her after she stopped him in mid-attack.

"Yes… everything was okay, though." Shikamaru frowned and let out another small sigh.

"Well, just be careful." He said, his gaze going past her to the Uchiha. Hinata blushed a bit at his worry. She always had to be alert around Sasuke just because she couldn't predict him.

"I-I'll be fine." She wasn't very close to Shikamaru but it was nice to know he cared enough to show concern. Hinata wasn't close with Chouji either, but she had heard that he was staying busy with his own team of Genin.

"Alright… time to head up. Our next stop is to see the Fifth Hokage." Shikamaru clapped his hands together to grab their attention, but he didn't need to. The children chattered excitedly upon knowing they would be meeting the Hokage. Hinata folded her hands behind her and smiled as she heard them whisper amongst themselves.

"I've only ever seen Tsunade-sama from afar…"

"Ohh, I saw her the other day! She is so beautiful."

"She sure is scary!" Shikamaru frowned and hushed them all.

"Thank Hinata-san for taking time to show you the library." He said and the kids all turned to look at her with large and wondering eyes.

"Thank you Hinata-sannnnn." They said in unison and she laughed slightly before subconsciously scratching the back of her head. Shikamaru casted her a look of 'are you sure you'll be okay?' before he headed up the stairs and Hinata nodded. She waved gently as the kids filed out the door and everything became increasingly quiet down stairs. Sasuke gave her a small glance when she returned to her desk as he finished up his project.

"When did Shikamaru become an instructor?" He asked. His voice wasn't curious nor was it bitter. It was just there. Perhaps Hinata found a hint of jealousy in it, or maybe she was just imagining things.

"Two years ago… on Asuma-sensei's birthday, actually." Hinata said quietly as she sat down. There was some sadness in her voice, but Sasuke's face remained blank. He had heard of Asuma dying in action; he was the Third Hokage's son so of course talk spread through the lands. It wasn't the death of a beloved Konoha ninja that sunk into his thoughts, though. Sasuke never realized that once his deed was done with his revenge that life would be so unfulfilling and that he would feel so far behind. That was the last thing spoken between the two as the afternoon trudged on with the occasional crack of thunder in the distance.

* * *

Sasuke was excited to get the hell out of that basement. He was ready to escape the silence and away from the frightened eyes of the Hyuuga girl. It wasn't that she truly bothered him… it was more like they just clashed; Sasuke was blunt, Hinata was not. Feelings mattered to her, but he said to hell with those a long time ago.

One might say that many of the problems that Uchiha Sasuke faces today are due to his own stubbornness, anger, and selfishness. He thought otherwise and casted blame away from himself, but as an older ninja with opportunity, he might have to swallow some pride to get to where he needed to be.

Sasuke climbed the steps leading from the lower level with Hinata following only slightly behind. She stopped to flip the light switch off which left them in the dark for a few moments as they went up the stairs. A couple voices could be heard at the top of the stairs, so Sasuke stopped to lean into the door and listen in. This caused a traffic jam and Hinata walked straight into Sasuke.

"Ooof!" She murmured. Trying to get her balance, Hinata reached out to latch onto his arm before she fell down the stairs. Reflexes kicked in and he held them both steady until Hinata had her footing down. Luckily for both of them, it was dark and her bright red cheeks weren't visible. Sasuke's attention went back to the familiar voices and he frowned. _Tsunade, Sakura and Naruto... great. _The three people who he disliked the most in the same area. Hinata frowned as she listened in as well but after a few moments, she began to wonder why they hadn't left yet.

"U-Um… Sasuke-kun…" Hinata whispered still feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable. He ignored her as suddenly it got quiet in the hall. Sasuke could no longer hear Naruto's whiny voice, so he figured they were in the clear. He opened the door from the basement and walked out cautiously. The hall was empty and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"There you are!" Tsunade's voice called out to him like nails on a chalkboard. He wondered if possibly ignoring her would make it go away, but he knew better if he wanted to get ranked. Sasuke turned around and Tsunade shut the door to her office. She smiled sweetly as she approached him. Hinata had also come up into the hall as she curiously wondered what Tsunade wanted.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tsunade asked as she crossed her arms on her chest. Sasuke frowned as he looked away in disinterest.

"Leaving work-"

"Oh? To go where?" She interrupted without hesitation. Sasuke stared hard at her as hundreds of rude and blatant comments swirled in his head like a giant typhoon. Somehow he kept them all at bay although his glare was hard to hide.

"Is it a problem where I go?" He asked and Tsunade shrugged.

"Well, if you're planning on going to the bar, then you can forget it." She said as a smirk formed over her lips. His anger was building but he was good to not let it show. "After what you pulled the other day, you aren't allowed to drink alone. So with that being said, let's go."

Hinata watched Tsunade begin to walk towards the exit of the building, and then her gaze fluttered over towards the Uchiha. The look on his face was expressionless, but she could tell in the way his eyebrow twitched that he was peeved. Perhaps it was too harsh to keep Sasuke on a leash, but he knew himself that if he wanted to win the prize, he'd have to play the game…and by someone else's rules.

After several silent seconds, Sasuke eventually pushed his weight forward as he followed the Hokage out of the building. The sun's rays were poking their heads from behind the mountains indicating another day was almost in the books. Hinata followed behind the two, making sure to keep her distance. It was quiet and she almost found it uncomfortable. Luckily for her, she didn't have to stick around much longer as she took another path home.

Sasuke's eyes moved at the loss in her presence and he crossed his arms before looking back to the Hokage. Tsunade was keeping a steady pace throughout the village streets with Sasuke slightly next to her. _This is stupid. I'd rather just go home and sleep…_ But the thought of the sweet sake warming his body changed his mind and finally they arrived at a quiet restaurant just on the edge of the market district.

"This place is good enough. Let's go." Tsunade said with a firm voice and he ignored her. If there was one thing Sasuke was known for (aside from a few genetic things) it was that he rarely followed orders from anyone. During his time as a Konoha ninja so long ago, Sasuke followed the orders of Kakashi or his sensei's only because in the end it was beneficial for him. He also followed Orochimaru's orders (loosely) because it was also something of use for him.

They entered the restaurant and Tsunade led him to a table in the back corner, which was far away from anyone's listening ears. Sasuke's eyes traveled around the restaurant slowly as he sat down and he observed every person, window and any risk of attack. It was mostly a habit; he was on the run for quite some time trying to stay off the radar of not only the Leaf but of other bridges he had burned throughout his life.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair and sighed heavily. A frown line had formed between her eyebrows as she crossed her arms. Her gaze stared intently on him, but he didn't notice. Sasuke folded his hands on the table and looked past her. She could see his prior lifestyle had an effect on his face. Although it was emotionless, it also had a look of defeat as well.

"How did Itachi die, Sasuke?" Tsunade said finally. His features didn't falter; instead he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. His death certainly wasn't from him.

"Greed." He muttered with such apathy it caught her off guard. Tsunade leaned forward with a thoughtful look. _Greed… _It wasn't technically suicide, but if a ninja uses ones' abilities too much, too hard and without the proper medical examination, one could surely kill themselves.

"I'm sorry." Her apology surprised him but he didn't acknowledge it. Tsunade really did feel bad for the boy. He had done everything in his power to regain control over his own life and he fought for too long for it to be taken away just like that. She didn't agree with the revenge, not to mention all the times they went out searching and trying to recover him, but her heart seemed to go out to him. Before anymore could be said, a waitress approached the table and Tsunade of course ordered them both a bottle of their finest sake.

Silence fell upon the two as Sasuke refused to continue and Tsunade was lost in her thoughts. _Orochimaru perished due to his own stupidity as well as Itachi. _It struck her as strange, but the bottles of sake being set down in front of her snapped her out of it.

"Ahh, been thinking about this all day." She said with a slight smirk upon her lips. Sasuke didn't say anything in return instead he grabbed his bottle and poured the sake into his saucer cup. Without hesitation, he down it and the tension in his eyebrows seemed to slowly disappear. Tsunade followed suit and with the alcohol it began to ease both of their egos.

"The real reason I brought you out here is to see how things were going with Hinata." She said, whilst pouring another drink. Sasuke leaned back in his chair and closed his dark eyes. _Shitty. It's like putting a mouse in a cage with a snake._

"It's not my thing_._" He said with a dull tone after a few moments. Tsunade smirked while swallowing the sweet sake. She could feel her cheeks getting warm which was an indicator that the alcohol was working to get rid of the stress from her long days as Hokage.

"Sometimes you have to do things that are out of your comfort zone." Tsunade said flatly. Sasuke grabbed the bottle of sake and took a quick swig before shooting her a glare.

"I don't need to be lectured." He said simply. Tsunade shrugged.

"Sometimes you need that authority figure." Her voice had gotten soft. Sasuke probably wouldn't be such a stoic asshole if he had someone around to put him in his place every once in a while. Tsunade was no mother, but the instinct was always there especially when she thought of her own little brother. Sasuke ignored her again and he downed the rest of his bottle in one long drink. He raised his fingers to alert the waitress from across the room that he would need another one. Tsunade glanced down to her own sake and realized she was only half way done. _This kid... he'd better learn to pace himself._

"I'm concerned of the where-abouts of Kabuto." Tsunade said after a few moments. This was a more comfortable setting than interrogating in her office. She wondered if maybe Sasuke had any idea of the fate of the highly skilled med-ninja. It seemed peace was never consistent; there were always enemies and things to be watching for. Sasuke's gaze was focused on everything around the room but her as if he was multi-tasking with himself; drink, stay alert, and never allow weakness to show.

"Kabuto is smarter than you think." He replied eventually. She felt her eyebrow rise into an arch. It was well-known throughout the lands that Kabuto was indeed a genius which made her wonder if he was even smarter than the Uchiha sitting right before her. To her surprise, Sasuke continued.

"From the get-go, he was always a step ahead. He made Orochimaru look foolish." He said his eyes finally settling on the Fifth Hokage. This prompted her look to get more serious. "You have every right to be concerned."

"You don't know where he is?" Tsunade asked after a sip of her drink and a silent moment of thought.

"No." Sasuke said his voice neither nervous nor worried about it. Tsunade folded her hands on the table top pondering what his ambitions might be. _Was Orochimaru a pawn all along? What is his main goal? Is he even planning to attack?_ These questions went off in her mind like missiles until a question interrupted her flow of thought.

"So you put the Hyuuga down in the basement? Is she not worth the time in the field?" Sasuke asked, his words becoming slightly more drawn out than usual. Her eyes glanced over at him with surprise that he was not only pestering but that it was directed towards Hinata. Tsunade laughed at that statement.

"She's down there for a reason—her attention to detail, her organizational skills and I trust her with such important documents." Tsunade said crossly. "In fact, she could probably give you a run for your money on chakra control."

Sasuke snorted while he watched the waitress set down another bottle for him. Perhaps she was great with managing her jutsu's and the chakra needed for each one, but Sasuke was practically a legend now; making prisoners fall to their knees in joy over his presence. It was a smug feeling knowing that he could just as easily become someone as manipulative as Orochimaru… however it wasn't in his nature to ruin the lives of innocent people.

"Besides, it keeps her mind occupied." Tsunade continued. "After that bastard took away her right to the clan, it's the least I could do for her."

Sasuke assumed that 'he' was Hinata's father, Hyuuga Hiashi. Usually Sasuke wouldn't care; the Hyuuga clan was nothing to him and if it didn't benefit him, then there was no point. But an immense amount of hatred for the former leader of the clan seemed to pulsate through him. Sasuke wasn't sure why; maybe because his clan always butted heads with them. He hid his anger well, however, and simply shrugged it off.

"The clan is a joke, anyway." Sasuke said. "They create separation not only from outsiders, but from their own flesh and blood." Tsunade frowned, with little defense to provide. It was true; the Hyuugas were divided still with the two houses.

There was silence between the two again; Tsunade watching almost in disgust at Sasuke's ability to drink alcohol like it was water. It made _her_ look innocent. Although as long as it didn't interfere with his ability to show up to work, then it wasn't a problem. She smirked to herself and downed the rest of her sake.

"Patience, Uchiha, is the key to many things." Tsunade said suddenly which warranted a strange glare from him. She continued to clarify.

"Good things come to those who deserve it. Besides your skill and name, _show me_ why you deserve to become a ninja of Konoha yet again." With a smile, Tsunade reached into her pocket to leave a few bills on the table, and then stood up to walk away.

Sasuke watched her with those dark eyes and he let those winds sink into his mind. The way he had been running his life for the past ten years was not acceptable in the eyes of his home town village. He would have to fall back into the ways of looking out for his comrades, showing respect, and earning his spot at the top through hard work and dedication. A frown was glued onto those thin lips before he took his last swig of the sake in his bottle. Savoring the taste, the aroma, and the slight high from it, Sasuke raised his hand to the waitress as signal he needed more sake.


	6. Chapter 5: You Are Weak

It was quiet in the library down below the main floor in Konoha's Hokage building. The constant ticking of the grandfather clock that sat in the main room was the only sound that pulsated through Hyuuga Hinata's eardrums as she sat at her desk. A few scrolls were open on her desk and her ink brush sat idle in her small ivory fingers. Pale and light eyes guided over the text that sat in front of her but her mind wasn't picking up information. It was too quiet and something was missing that day.

Her gaze hovered hesitantly over to Uchiha Sasuke's empty desk that sat across from her. A thin line was spread across pink lips before trapping the bottom one between her teeth. It was well into the morning and Sasuke had yet to show up that day. At first, Hinata figured maybe his training session ran later than usual… or he just simply decided to stop showing up. Maybe he didn't think it was worth it to be stuck in a basement full of dust, old documents and a _Hyuuga_.

The grandfather clock ticked to the top of the hour, bringing ten long and painful dongs to signify Sasuke was two hours late. She sighed gently, glancing quickly back down to her work. His absence didn't really bother her, but it was more of a worry that sat in the back of her brain. _Is he okay?_ She shook her head gently at that thought, feeling the braid rub on her shoulder. Of course he's okay. He's Uchiha Sasuke… it was safe to say he was the strongest ninja around. No one could lay a finger on him without suffering the consequences.

Leaning back in her chair, Hinata's mind was set on auto-pilot as her thoughts took her elsewhere. _Did I make him angry?_ She thought back to the previous day and didn't find anything that would warrant him not showing. If only she could be the type of person who didn't care what one thought of her. Hyuuga Hinata was constantly on her toes throughout her life while she tried to gain respect from her peers… and not just the Rookie Nine but her own family. Now that it didn't matter, she found herself still in that habit of wanting everyone's approval.

Her eyes lowered for a moment as she thought of her own life; it had been several weeks since she had visited her family. She almost felt ashamed to be seen because of the way the people of the Hyuuga clan whispered amongst themselves. _Hiashi-sama was right… She is too weak._ These feelings had sat in her gut leaving a somewhat sickening feeling that never seemed to go away. Usually Hinata immersed herself in the work of the library but today it only reminded her of how lonely she truly was.

A sound at the top of the stairs stirred something and her stomach did a flop. _Sasuke-kun?_ It struck her as odd that there was excitement running through her mind. Perhaps it was just because there would be someone else around to help keep her own demons at bay. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Yesterday, Uchiha Sasuke terrified her. Today, she looked forward to his quiet company.

Much to Hinata's surprise, Uzumaki Naruto hit the bottom of the stone step and bounded through the library. As if it was an automatic reaction, Hinata's cheeks became red out of shock and admiration for the blonde haired man who had approached her desk. His usual grin lit her world and she suddenly felt light on her feet. Hinata caught her breath and she shut her eyes tightly. _Hinata… don't faint._ She always thought she had gotten over her childish feelings, but it was very hard for her to stop. Hinata simply couldn't help it; she was in love with a boy who had no idea.

"Ahh, Hinata!" Naruto said as he crossed his arms behind his head. His spiky blonde hair was always a mess, but she adored it. Hinata smiled and avoided his gaze, as if he could see the secretive love for him in her eyes.

"G-Good morning, Naruto-kun." Her voice was soft as she stammered while fidgeting with her long braid. Naruto's grin faded and he glanced around the basement.

"Eh? Where is Sasuke? I was gonna see if he wanted to go to lunch later!" He said a small pout forming on those lips she so adored.

"Oh… he hasn't shown up yet." Hinata said and frowned gently. Naruto crossed his arms and stared at the floor. It wasn't very often that he got serious but when he did it usually involved the lone Uchiha.

"I hope it's not cause of what I said the other day." He mumbled before closing his eyes. Hinata stepped forward slightly, resting one of her hands on her desk. "I drank too much and well…" His voice trailed off.

"…Naruto-kun?" She breathed. He glanced up at her and forced a smile that she knew wasn't genuine. Hinata felt embarrassed of her constant observation of the man knowing much of his life than he knew of her own. She wanted to see Naruto happy and give him everything that he deserved.

"Sometimes I say stupid crap that I don't mean. You know how that is, right!?" He said with a smile. Hinata looked away again, embarrassed to admit she really never drank alcohol. The grandfather clock chimed in before she could come up with a response and Naruto's eyes went wide.

"Hey… that clock isn't off, right!? Ahhh… the old lady is gonna kill me! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto hastily threw together his hands to form the right seal and another Naruto appeared with a yawn. "HEY, wake up you! I'm gonna be late for that meeting if you don't leave right now to cover for me."

"Meh… oh. OH the meeting!" The clone stammered and began to panic. Hinata smiled gently while rubbing the back of her head as the second Naruto began to scurry off towards the staircase.

"Um… Naruto-kun." Hinata said quietly. "T-Tsunade-sama is going to know that's a clone." Naruto grinned while lifting up his hand for a thumbs up and it seemed to melt her heart.

"Trust me, Hinata. If there's anything I know well, it's the old lady." Hinata smiled politely. "Besides, I'm gonna head out and see if I can find Sasuke. I need to apologize." There was a crash upstairs the shook the building and loud voices could be heard even through the heavy layers of stone that made up the sturdy building.

"NARUTO, DON'T YOU DARE SEND CLONES UP TO MY MEETINGS!" Tsunade's booming voice seemed to freeze Naruto's features in place as he rubbed his hand through his hair.

"…ehh that didn't work as I thought it would." Naruto said with a quick shrug of his shoulders. "Hey! Hinata, I know it's a pain but can you go find Sasuke for me? Thanks! You're the best." Those blue eyes sparkled at her and his smile grew wide as he threw up his hand up to wave. Hinata held out her hand while she watched him run up the stairs.

"Naruto-kun…" Her voice trailed off and then a small sigh escaped her lips. The basement became quiet again except for the dull ticking of the clock. Her eyes glanced at the work on her desk and with a frown she headed towards the staircase to exit the Konoha library.

* * *

There was a pounding in his skull; it was dull but it was persistent. Sasuke didn't dare open his eyes because he was familiar with this pain. It wasn't a pain from over-using his Sharingan nor was it anything related to being a ninja at all. It was a hangover and not a good one.

Rolling over onto his stomach, Sasuke inhaled into his pillow before trying to get comfortable in his bed. The sheets were half on his bed and half wrapped around his legs but he could care less. All Sasuke needed was a few more hours of sleep and he'd be fine.

Something caught his attention, however, and it was a scent… a scent of food. His head lifted off his pillow and he cautiously opened his eyes. The scent of food was confusing for him because his loft was slightly on the outskirts of the market district, so there really wasn't anyone around him that would create the smell, nor would it travel the distance.

Another thing he noticed was the sense of a presence in his loft. Sasuke groaned inward and quietly rolled over so that he could get off his bed. With a pounding headache and still a little drunk from the night before, Sasuke cautiously approached the door to his bedroom and peaked into the living room. He could see a kettle of tea brewing on the stove and something cooking next to it, but there was no one in sight. For a split second Sasuke wondered if perhaps it was he who was making food last night. That thought was dismissed after a few moments and he decided to investigate further.

Pushing the door open all the way, he ventured out and stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted someone at his sink. It wasn't just anyone; it wasn't an intruder looking to steal his things or an enemy ninja sneaking in to murder him in his sleep. It's the Hyuuga Hinata washing his dishes. A wave of emotions rushed over him. First it was shock that anyone, especially her, had let themselves in on his property. Second it was anger that she was in his kitchen doing his chores. Third it was embarrassment that she was in his kitchen doing his chores.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke said as he approached her. His eyes were narrow and he watched her flinch. Hinata shut off the water and grabbed a towel to wipe off her hands.

"S-Sasuke-kun… you um… didn't come to work today." She said quietly. He opened his mouth to say something next, but the thought of 'work' came busting into his mind. He had forgotten to set his alarm in his drunken state last night and simply forgot. There was a small amount of time that passed in silence before he said anything.

"That doesn't give you right to break into my place and…" His strained gaze shifted towards the stove. "… make food." Sasuke suddenly wondered where she had gotten the tea or the rice that was bubbling. Hinata stared down at her feet as she walked past him to stir the rice so it didn't burn.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was quiet. "I didn't break in, really… the door was wide open." Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and stared at her. He couldn't recall getting home last night and he really had nothing to say to that. Hinata continued as she swirled the rice with a spoon.

"Naruto-kun was looking for you… and he asked me to come find you." Satisfied with the cooked rice, she moved it from the hot burner and then walked past him again to pick up the clean bowl in the sink. "I noticed you had gotten sick and… you didn't have any food."

Sasuke stood there trying to take this situation in all at once. The front door was wide open, food was cooking on his stove, the dirty dishes were clean, and she also probably noticed the lovely vomit in the toilet. Anyone else would see a mess of a person, but Hinata didn't seem to mind. If she did, she didn't show it.

"I don't need you to do things for me." He said irritably as she spooned some rice onto the bowl.

"I-I know, but." Her voice trailed off. It was just in her nature to be giving and perhaps motherly to everyone. There would countless times she had to patch Kiba up after long training session. She would even help massage out the knots formed in Hanabi's back and shoulders due to high tension and chakra build up. Sasuke took the bowl from her without a word and then knelt down at his kitchen table. He picked up his chopsticks and slowly watched her pour tea into a cup for him.

"This is a special tea with different herbs from the Hyuuga gardens. It should help with the nausea and headache." She said quietly before setting it down. Sasuke felt his eyebrows furrow as a memory seemed to explode in his mind. He could picture the gardens in his mind as she spoke; it was a beautiful garden that he remembered seeing much as a kid.

The clink of the cup hitting the top of the table shook him from the memory and he just stared at it. _That's strange… when did I ever go neat the Hyuuga estate?_ Sasuke didn't dwell on it long; the aroma of the tea smelled good, but he didn't dare pick it up while she was watching so instead he waited for her to turn her back. The taste of it was sweet, but not too overpowering. Normally Sasuke disliked sweet things, but it did calm the storm in his stomach and eased the pounding in his head.

Hinata went about cleaning up the mess of the pot of rice which she put the left over in the fridge. Sasuke kept her in his peripheral vision while he ate and much to his dismay he felt a little bit better. He wasn't used to anyone doing anything for him. Uchiha Sasuke was very much an independent person partly because he refused and partly because he had no other choice growing up. He didn't find it 'sweet' or 'nice of her' because she was invading his private space, but it was convenient for him since now he had a homemade meal.

"So I guess I will see you soon, Sasuke-kun." Her small voice interrupted his thoughts and he glanced over to her. He ignored her and continued to chew on his rice. There was something different about the rice she had made; it was more flavorful than when he did. The texture of the rice was perfect which meant she was observant and had a knack for doing…womanly things… like cleaning, cooking and organizing the many documents in the Konoha Library.

Hinata frowned at his response, or lack there of, and turned to let herself out. It was odd cooking for him and even doing his dishes, but the place was a mess. Hinata knew he had just arrived in Konoha not too long ago and was probably still settling in. It even struck her as strange that she had gone to his loft, saw that he was ill, left and came back with tea and rice. Hinata never even did that for her fellow team mates. Maybe it was because Sasuke was special to Naruto. Or maybe it was because Hinata felt bad that there was no one around to help him, even when he didn't ask.

"Why aren't you leading the Hyuuga?" Sasuke's voice suddenly stopped her and she glanced over her shoulder at him. He was sitting back in his chair with his hands folded. His dark mysterious eyes were staring straight at her and she felt her cheeks get warm.

The tone of his question was different. It held no emotion in it, as usual, but this topic would usually tug at the heart strings of most folk around the village. Hinata suddenly didn't feel so surprised that he didn't pity her. She turned and ran fingers down her braid, clearly a habit to her, and shrugged her petite shoulders.

Sasuke observed her awkward behavior as he listed things off in his head: sudden hunch, lowered gaze, fidgeting and warm cheeks. It was something that Tsunade had mentioned the previous night… _her rightful spot as the head of the Hyuuga_… He didn't unlock his eyes from her as she stepped forward a bit.

"My sister Hanabi has taken over." Her voice was quieter than usual, but Sasuke still heard every word…each word dryer than the last. He could tell she wasn't one to hold hard feelings, but this seemed to peak his interest for some reason.

"I'm not surprised." Sasuke said finally after a painful few seconds of silence. Hinata felt her stomach knot up at that statement and a wave of anger was beginning to surge through her little body. _I'm not surprised…?! _ It stung as if he had come up and slapped her across the face. Before she could release all of the emotion pent up, Sasuke stood up from his chair.

"A leader must be strong at all times. It only takes one mistake to cause chaos." He said. "The Hyuuga attempt to patch up their own mistakes by turning against their own and-"

"You're wrong!" Hinata squeaked while her hands formed fists at her side. Sasuke's blank stare watched her every move and she almost thought his expression was mocking her. "We are a strong clan!" Sasuke smirked and crossed his arms. _She says it as if she is still a part of the clan._

"No, you are weak." He said simply. Something inside her eyes seemed to fade; there was no anger, no sadness, nor embarrassment. It was as more like defeat. Her light eyes stared straight into his dark eyes as if it was yin and yang standing beside each other.

"There is no greater danger than underestimating your enemy." Hinata suddenly whispered without even thinking. Those words were strange coming from her mouth, nor did it sound very intimidating. It was a phrase she remembered hearing often growing up in the Hyuuga household and it came out on instinct. Sasuke wasn't her enemy by any means but it just seemed like the right thing to say.

Hinata didn't blink, nor release her shaking fists. All her life it was constant scrutiny… never did she imagine that it would follow her and also come from someone who had no idea. Sasuke would never understand and she didn't need him to. He had no clan to compare or relate to so in the end it was useless to put up a fight. The snake might be bigger but the mouse was swifter. Without another word, Hinata turned around and left Sasuke's loft.

Sasuke watched her go, his face still as blank as before, but inside his mind was turning. _There is no greater danger than underestimating your enemy._ That phrase looped over and over again as if déjà vu had taken over. Memories began blinking like puzzle pieces just waiting to be put together. The wind howling outside brought him back to reality and he slowly heaved a sigh. His eyes glanced over at the clean kitchen she had left behind, along with a paper bag of tea leaves and herbs.

That was the second time he had been the reason for the glint in her eyes to disappear. It was something that seemed to stick around in his gut afterwards and he didn't like it. There was _something_ different about this woman that prompted him second guess his actions on a constant basis. It was new, foreign and somewhat irritating for him.

* * *

The following week was quiet. Not only was it quiet in the Konoha Library, but it was quiet throughout the entire village. Missions were coming in left and right which meant many of the ninja were out. It didn't concern Tsunade as much simply because there was another rumor going around that Kabuto was staying hidden near the west border—far from Konoha.

Even Naruto and Sakura had been sent on a mission, which was rare, because both had priorities in the village. Sakura had her classes and duties at the hospital while Naruto had his internship with the Hokage. Kiba and Shino were both out, which left Hinata stuck yet again, without a mission. It had been quite some time since she had been summoned with her team for something. It made her wonder if Sasuke was right—is she too weak to complete missions now?

Little had been said by either since their confrontation. It was easier to stay quiet. Working alongside the Uchiha was frustrating; his apathetic views and ego were beginning to wear into the gentle Hyuuga. At least back at home, Hinata had the chance to escape her father's ways by training with her team. With Sasuke, she was stuck with him for long days which was disheartening for her.

Sasuke also found this entire situation to be annoying, but if it was what he had to do to get ranked up, then he would do it. He hoped that eventually the Hokage would see that he was trustworthy and not scheming. A week after their confrontation, Sasuke eyed the Hyuuga sitting across from him. Her gaze rarely met his and if it did, her cheeks would grow pink and she'd look away instantly.

Their latest project was putting away several checked out medical documents that Sakura had requested earlier that day. Many of the large books had fallen apart due to old age, so Hinata was going through and re-binding many of them, then Sasuke would put them back onto the shelves.

"S-Sasuke-kun." Her voice was gentle as it pierced through the silence. He glanced up at her to see what she wanted. Her eyes remained on the open scroll in front of her, although Sasuke always made sure to look at her straight on. "Um… these can be put away now." He set down his ink brush and got up to grab the books. Without word, Sasuke walked over towards one of the medical bookcases and began to scan the spines of the books to figure out where they went.

Hinata grabbed the last large book that needed its pages re-attached and sighed gently. It was slightly depressing down there, even worse than when she was all by herself down there. At least when she was alone she didn't have to deal with piercing glares and painful silence. In fact, Hinata almost missed the company of her stoic family; at least they had a reason to be rude.

She thought of the last time she had spoken to Neji. It was a few weeks before Sasuke's return to Konoha and he had just returned from a long mission with his team. He had stopped at her apartment just as she was leaving for her training session that morning. She remembered his intense gaze at her as he approached her and it almost terrified her.

"Hinata-sama." His voice had been cool and smoother than silk. Ever since she had left the Hyuuga District, there was little to no interaction between them. It was partially her choice and unfortunately partially theirs as well. For Neji to approach her right after a mission meant something must be wrong. He had held out his blood stained arm which had been hastily wrapped and looked like it hadn't been changed in days.

She remembered bringing him inside and silently cleaning it, disinfecting it and then re-wrapping.

"How are you doing?" He had eventually asked, his eyes meeting hers. The small talk was awful and she just wished that things were the way they used to be. Hinata wondered what Neji was doing… maybe she should visit. He had been promoted throughout the clan and for some reason it didn't even seem like he was any different than the main house.

Hinata finished her job on re-binding the book as her thoughts returned to reality. The silence in the room was the same; the distant ticking of the clock and the occasional voice from upstairs would bleed into the basement. She gathered the book in her arms and lifted it off the desk. It was heavier than usual and she figured she wouldn't bother Sasuke with it.

She glanced up to see him still putting away books and she stood next to him awkwardly. Her eyes scanned the text in front of her and then looked upon the shelves to see where its proper place was. Sasuke's eyes focused on the job at hand, but he couldn't help but every so often look in her direction. It had been a while since Hinata had been that close to him… perhaps the last time was when he reached up to help her put something away. He could smell her vanilla scent and it seemed to ease the stress lines in his forehead. Sasuke suddenly felt relaxed for some unknown reason.

He also knew that the particular book she had belonged on the top shelf and he was curious to see what she would do, knowing damn well that the Hyuuga girl wouldn't be able to reach. He watched her frown and her shoulders went limp slightly out of defeat. Sasuke reached over, took the book from her arms, and slid it up in its place.

Hinata's cheeks went warm and her head lowered a bit. Sasuke also frowned upon seeing this reaction and he felt the same feeling as before… as if he had done something wrong. _There is no greater danger than underestimating the enemy._ He looked over at the pile of books still to be put away and bent down to grab one. Sasuke handed it to her sheepishly.

"Here." His voice wasn't harsh nor was it full of pride. It was just…there. Hinata bit her lower lip before taking it then turned to gaze at the bookshelf again. With a very small smile she knelt down to put it away. In his own way, it was a nice gesture; he could tell she didn't like to be underestimated. And she could tell he liked to be left alone. It was finally a small understanding between the two. Sasuke handed her yet another book and she took it gladly.

The door at the top of the stairs burst open and hurried steps were heard coming down. They both glanced over at who it could be and much to their surprise it was the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. Hinata offered her a polite smile, but from the look on her face it seemed like there was an emergency.

"Hinata." Her voice was firm and full of caution. Hinata's smile slowly faded away as she walked to meet Tsunade in the middle of the library. Sasuke stayed where he was, but his ears were straining to hear the hushed conversation. He idly stared at the scroll in his hand interested to see what was going on. It was about time that something exciting happened around there.

There was a sharp gasp as Hinata let the book fall from her hands and they were brought to her mouth. Sasuke glanced behind his shoulder in curiosity and his dark eyes watched Hinata nod gently to Tsunade's words. Turning, they both walked quickly towards a door in the far corner of the library and Hinata unlocked it then shut it behind them.

Sasuke frowned and crossed his arms. It wasn't his business but there was a strange feeling that was churning in his stomach. It was a feeling of dread and almost worry. There was something off about the way Tsunade, of all people, left her office and came down into the library. If it wasn't important it would have been someone else down to run her errands. Not to mention, it must be personal for Hinata to drop a book she had spent much of the afternoon repairing.

The two women weren't gone for too long. The door was opened in the room and Tsunade emerged with giant books and scrolls in her arms. Hinata followed behind her as well with many different books in her arms.

"S-Sasuke-kun…" Hinata's voice cracked as she stopped. "I um… I have to go. I guess that means you're done for today…" Sasuke wasn't stupid; even though she hid her teary eyes, it was pretty obvious. All he could do was nod that he had acknowledged her and off she went following Tsunade up the stairs.

His eyes had caught view of the documents in her arms and it had the words _Hyuuga Anatomy_ written all over it. Sasuke could only imagine that it had something to do with a fellow clan member. He secretly hoped it was her father because there was a large amount of distaste for him for an unknown reason. With a sigh, Sasuke bent down to finish up the job of putting away the rest of the documents that had been checked out.

Suddenly it hit him. Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks as his gaze turned towards the corner of the library. _Classified documents..._The door was slightly ajar in the midst of the frenzy and he could slowly feel a shot of adrenaline going through his body. He recalled Tsunade mentioning that the classified documents were, of course, off limits to him but there was no one there to intervene.

Without wasting any time of being caught, he approached the cracked open door and gently pushed it open. It was a small room filled with smaller book cases, drawers and perfectly preserved antique weapons. He wasn't interested in stealing anything, just looking for some more information on his own clan. There _had_ to be something more. Sasuke shut the door behind him and inhaled slowly.

Sasuke stepped forward and examined a few shelves, not finding much that was of interest to him. Many of the documents he was looking over were personal records of MIA ninja, prisoners of war from other countries, sacred healing techniques and such. It was slightly disappointing to him to know that such unimportant documents were labelled as "classified" but if they did just happen to fall into the wrong hands, it could be a problem.

He moved on, from bookshelf to bookshelf, looking for something more specific and more…personal. After a few minutes, he began to wonder if maybe there really _wasn't_ much more on the Uchiha clan than what was open to the public. Sasuke suddenly felt defeated; he crossed his arms and leaned up against one of the book cases. His eyes caught glimpse of something with an Uchiha symbol on it and he narrowed his eyes to focus more on it.

Somewhat hidden in the dark corner of the room was a large, old wooden chest that looked like it was about to collapse at any moment. Sasuke stared at it for a few seconds before pushing himself off the bookshelf to approach it. He knelt down on his knees and then ran his hand across the dusty Uchiha emblem that was on the top lid. It looked as if it hadn't been touched in over ten years. With a frown glued onto his lips, Sasuke hesitated before unlatching it and pushing the heavy lid up.

He coughed a bit as dust and cobwebs escaped from within and he let the lid rest against the wall. His heart pounded nervously for some reason. It was almost as if he was disturbing a tomb… in essence, it was probably what was left of his clan. Sasuke looked in to see books stacked neatly, preserved scrolls and even an old flag he recalled seeing outside the Uchiha Police building.

The chest was in awful shape but everything inside was still intact, much to his relief. He reached out to move around some loose papers and he felt like a detective looking for something important but in reality he had no idea what he was looking for. Just something to put his mind at ease… a sign that said even though he was all alone that everything would be okay. There was a rocky exterior that he put out, but deep down he was still a scared little child. Everyone needs someone to turn to for comfort; everyone needs some place to call home.

Everything inside was what Sasuke was looking for; the topics inside the chest ranged from political information to status reports from the Police department. It was like Sasuke was in a candy store of information. One particular scroll caught his attention towards the bottom of the chest. It was older than the rest and as he picked it up he realized there was a blood stain on it.

Sasuke almost wondered if he should open it; there wasn't a seal on it so he figured it couldn't be that bad. He hesitated before he rolled it open. The ink inside was worn but he could still read what was written. _Mission to Destroy… Leader: Hyuuga Hiashi … Heir: Hyuuga Hinata … _Sasuke blinked his eyes and allowed them to rest as if he wasn't sure what he had just read. However when he looked back down to the scroll it still the read the same. _Mission to Destroy… _This was an order to infiltrate the Hyuuga district. Sasuke was holding a hit on the former Hyuuga leader and his daughter.

His stomach was in knots as he looked away. There was always friction between the two clans; of course they dominated Konoha with their eye Kekkei Genkai but Sasuke never knew that it was that bad. Deciding to read on further, Sasuke pulled the scroll open more to reveal faded details. _Eliminate the Byakugan… Seek revenge…_ The information further was a complete lay out of the Byakugan mansion, the rooms and how the mission would play out.

He let the scroll rest in his lap as he tried to think back to his childhood. Sasuke had little to no recollection of interacting with the Hyuuga's… There was a slight hate for the other clan, but not enough to warrant an assassination mission. There had to be more to this and if it had come to such a conspiracy, what had happened that made the mission fail? Sasuke suddenly felt physically ill; did Itachi kill them before they had a chance? Or did the Hyuuga's have something to do with it as well? Sasuke rubbed his forehead as a bead of sweat had formed on his temple. _He didn't say anything… he didn't say a word!_ His thoughts had taken him back to Itachi's death bed out in the field along the border.

"_Sasuke…" His voice was softer than a whisper. Sasuke's grip on his older brother grew tighter as he lay in his arms. _

"_You shouldn't speak." Sasuke hissed at him as he refused to show any sadness even though it was burning a hole in his heart. Itachi laughed gently which caused a chain reaction of bloody coughs. _

"_It's okay." He croaked. "I just wanted to tell you… that I'm proud of you." Those words struck Sasuke like a slap and he stared down at his dying brother with such hate and disdain. _

"_Proud of me?" He growled. "I am…the way that I am… because of your actions." _

"_I know." Itachi whispered nonchalantly. Sasuke's brows furrowed as hot tears formed in his eyes. He looked away angrily but Itachi slowly lifted his arm to poke his little brother in the forehead. Sasuke looked back down at him and he could see it wouldn't be long now._

"_Why?" He whispered to Itachi. Itachi closed his eyes and breathed in. Sasuke stared down at him and watched a bloody tear come out of his brother's tired and overused eyes. _

"_Why? Why!? WHY!?" Sobs were escaping Sasuke's mouth as tears flowed freely down his face. Itachi slowly opened his eyes which allowed more blood to escape as tear droplets. _

"_I'm sorry… Sasuke." Itachi breathed and then swallowed hard as if he was telling his body that he was ready to go. _

"_Itachi? No, damnit. Itachi!" He shook his brother who smiled up at him one last time before his body became limp and lifeless. Sasuke sat with Itachi for several more minutes as he cried to himself… sometimes they were silent and defeated tears, sometimes they were hot with anger as he quietly cursed his brother under his breath. _


	7. Chapter 6: New Danger

This chapter took longer than expected, but it's done on time. Yesss. By the way, if you have any ideas on what you'd like to see, it doesn't hurt to throw it out into your review. You just never know what might fit in :) Enjoy. I'm gonna go take a nap... zzzzzz

edit: my grammar is 100% but if it bothers ya that much then you don't have to read it :) sorry.

* * *

It had been at least four hours since Hinata watched the Fifth Hokage and Sakura enter the surgical room at the Konoha Hospital. She never left her chair outside the doors. Her eyes never once left the red light above the doors that shined IN-PROGRESS. Her stomach was like a stormy ocean constantly being tossed and turned with such violence she thought she'd get sick any moment.

Hinata wasn't alone outside in the waiting room. There were several other people who shared the same look of worry on their faces and the same eerie silence. On occasion there would be a scream down the hall which would create even more anxiety in the room but otherwise it was just the silence and the wait that weighed on their minds. Hyuuga Hiashi paced back and forth, going from one side of the room to the next, and then sitting down, then back to his feet.

It was strange to see her Father not keep his composure. There was only a few times where she had witnessed such vulnerability in normally a strong human being. She recalled when Hanabi had gotten very ill as a baby and they weren't sure if she would awake from her fever. The other time was when Neji had returned from a mission to bring back Uchiha Sasuke from his endeavors. It struck a nerve in her heart to know that she had never seen him like that with her.

Hanabi sat next to her husband a few feet away. Both were quiet, sullen, and simply waiting for the news. Her sister had grown into quite the young woman, just barely a woman to begin with. She had married young as it came with the territory of becoming the leader of the clan. There was little said between anyone for at least an hour. When Tsunade had found Hinata in the library, they weren't the first to arrive at the hospital. Flashbacks of blood and shrieks flooded her mind and her eyes closed shut before tears could fall down her cheeks. The only thing that she could focus on was how calm and collected Neji's expression was as he was put onto a stretcher; even with such a serious matter he was still strong.

The other people in the waiting room were Guy-sensei, Lee and Tenten. Every so often, Tenten would come up to Hinata's side and offer her a cup of water. It was a sweet gesture but Hinata wasn't sure if she could stomach it. She refused to look at Guy-sensei. His entire chest was caked with dried blood from carrying Neji back from a mission gone wrong…terribly wrong.

The sound of Tenten's frantic voice replayed in her mind during those few hours. _Someone attacked us…! _ Hinata's eyes slowly opened as a sense of terror washed over her body. _He tried to steal Neji's eyes…to take his Byakugan!_ It took a lot to create silence between Lee and Guy, but they hadn't said a word since their arrival. Guy's voice had been quiet when they had arrived, but she overheard the conversation with Tsunade that this mysterious attack had happened just to the west, about a half day from the border.

No one knew who the attacker was, but it wasn't uncommon for thieves to be on the lookout for specific Kekkei Genkai. Of course there was the infamous attack many years ago in an attempt to abduct Hinata as a small child which led to the demise of Neji's father. There were still a lot of questions that she had. Neji was an elite ninja, passing an opportunity as an ANBU to stay with the Hyuuga clan. Not only that, but Team Guy was one of the top requested groups to be sent on missions because of their quickness, efficiency and success rate. How did one person defeat them all? Was this person just a normal bandit looking for an easy way to become strong or was this something more malicious?

The light above the door finally clicked off and the door opened which caused a sense of panic throughout the waiting room. Tsunade's face was always very hard to read; there was a reason she was generally a good gambler because her poker face could fool anyone. Sakura, on the other hand, was easier so Hinata relied on that as they had both emerged from the operating room. However it was Hiashi who had approached them both before she had a chance to look.

"Tsunade-sama… Neji is he…?"

"The operation was a success, however…" Her voice trailed off and Hinata felt her stomach threatening to vomit. Hiashi stared hard at the Fifth Hokage, his expression firm. Hinata had stood up as well as everyone who seemed to crowd around the two med-ninja's. Tsunade heaved a sigh and her gaze hovered over at Sakura who only looked away.

"I'm afraid that he has lost much, if not all, of his ability to use the Byakugan in his right eye as well as some of his sight." Her voice didn't falter, as tragedy to ninja happened often. Hinata brought her hands up to her mouth and a soft sob escaped. Hiashi was silent. Tsunade crossed her arms and she closed her eyes.

"Whoever attacked Neji severed many of the muscles and nerves in his eye socket. They were careful not to damage the eye itself, but the chakra flow in it has been severely damaged. We were able to re-attach and heal everything as best as we could." She said.

"There is still a chance that he could regain the ability to use his Byakugan in his eye, but… it's a very slim chance." Sakura offered as some sort of comfort but no one seemed to look at it that way. Hiashi's gaze lowered to the ground before he shut his eyes. The guilt from the death of Neji's father and now this were weighing heavily on his shoulders. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke.

"Can I see him?"

"He is asleep right now and will be in a medically induced coma for the next twelve hours to rest his body. The nerves and muscles in his eye are incredibly sensitive at this stage so it is very important that he is not conscious." Tsunade said with a frown. "You may see him, but he will not be awake until tomorrow evening."

Hinata felt tears pushing their way down her cheeks in a steady stream. If there was anything that Neji loved it was being a ninja and a good ninja at that. She had idolized her own jutsus, stances and quick movements from her cousin even though there was tension between them growing up. She recalled many silent training sessions usually ending in triumph for Neji and disappointment for her. In his own way, he had helped to shape and mold her into the ninja she was today. Now he would certainly be out of the field for months and with only half of his Byakugan.

Hiashi walked past Tsunade and pushed open the heavy doors into Neji's room with his daughters following behind. The beeps of the machines, the bandages around his head and stoic expression of her cousin as he lay there caused another sob to escape from Hinata's lips. Hiashi walked to the side of his bed and took Neji's limp hand in his own and then brought it to his chest. Hanabi stood next to her father and was succeeding on not crying. Hinata could tell she was trying to be very strong and as the new leader of the Hyuuga it was important not to let emotions get in the way of logical thinking.

Maybe that was why Hinata wasn't the heir; her emotions often got in the way. Neither her father nor her sister was crying and here she was fighting back violent sobs. Hinata was starting to see things that she had never seen before… like how different she was compared to her entire clan. She always knew that there wasn't much in common, but she was finally seeing it for what it was.

Hinata slowly willed her feet forward to walk onto the other side of Neji's bed. Her fingers trailed on his blankets until they met with his bandaged hand and she was able to suppress another soft sob. It was a life-awakening experience to see that someone even as strong as Neji had been attacked and basically defeated. The thought of knowing that evil still existed in the lands terrified her. Neji always protected her, even throughout the years of his hatred towards her. Hinata knew now that she didn't need protection… she needed to be stronger. Maybe Sasuke and everyone around her was right after all… maybe she was just too weak.

* * *

Sasuke's half-lidded eyes watched the digital time on his clock lazily and he rolled over onto his back. His gaze settled on the light fixture above his bed while his mind continued to race. It had been a sleepless night. Needless to say it was the scrolls he had uncovered in the Konoha Library the previous day which revealed information he wasn't sure how to process.

There was more than one scroll highlighting the ongoing feud between the Hyuuga's and the Uchiha's. It was a silent battle that began more than twenty years ago when a Hyuuga ninja betrayed his comrades, which included an Uchiha. Of course the leader of the Uchiha clan wanted answers, but the Hyuuga's decided to deal with the matter internally and swept it under the rug from the rest of the village. Ever since then there was a bitter taste between the two clans and the Hokage made several attempts to keep their sparks at bay.

Sasuke closed his eyes after a sigh escaped his lips and he wasn't sure if he was outraged to know that his clan, which immediately involved his father, was planning murder. The murder wasn't just to the leader of the Hyuuga clan, but also to the heir… his daughter Hinata. Had it of been anything else, Sasuke would have felt proud and smug, but this was different. A feeling inside told him that it didn't _feel_ right. Taking a life that was stained with sin was one thing, taking a life that was innocent was another.

It was almost as if it was something _he_ would have done... his former 'teacher', Orochimaru. Sasuke never understood Orochimaru's ways of taking people and using them for his own greater good. Sasuke only stayed long enough to get to the strength level he wanted to be at and then was gone. Whatever had happened between Orochimaru and Kabuto was their own problem and he didn't care about it.

With some effort, Sasuke sat up in his bed and decided he had lay there long enough. The sun was starting to spill into his windows and a good training session would get his mind off of it. He had gotten used to waking up in his 'home' now. For several years, Sasuke would open his eyes in a different place every day, but the warmth of his bed and comfort of his pillow was something he had truly missed.

Sasuke had even gotten used to walking the streets of Konoha as well. The return of the Uchiha was old news throughout the village, so not as many people stared at him anymore. People had realized that he wasn't the monster that stories made him become, but when one hangs around Orochimaru the label is bound to stick. The smells in the market place were enticing as vendors were just getting things ready and it was quiet much to his liking.

"Sasuke-kun!" That voice that he despised pierced through the air and caused his normal stoic expression to turn into disappointment. Of course Sasuke ignored the calling and continued on his way until he heard footsteps catch up to him. Sakura fell into synch with his steps and smiled. Sasuke didn't even look her way.

"Ahh, Sasuke-kun! I haven't seen you much since you had gotten back." She said as a smile spread across her lips. Sasuke crossed his arms but he continued on his way. "Naruto told me you guys had talked!"

Silence was the only thing that the Uchiha was offering her. He wasn't in the mood for small talk. Although something popped into his head as he thought back to Sakura's closeness with Tsunade. His frown deepened.

"The Hokage is keeping me busy." Sasuke said eventually, although his tone indicated to proceed with caution. Sakura was happy enough with any response and she slipped a few locks of pink hair behind her ear.

"Yes… she isn't one to idle. In fact, the hospital has been busy as of late. There are so many missions nowadays and injuries." Her voice trailed off. "I was hoping that the healing classes at the Academy would have paid off."

Another frown formed on Sasuke's lips at the mention of missions. Everyone was out doing something with their lives and here he was stuck inside a basement all day, rotting away his days. Although it was temporary, it was beginning to take a toll on his patience.

"Say, I heard you're with Hinata. Did you hear about Neji?" Sakura interrupted his thoughts and he shrugged.

"Does it matter?" Sasuke asked dully. Sakura bit her lower lip and glanced down at her feet.

"Well, yeah I suppose. Someone is after the Byakugan." She said. Sasuke stopped walking and looked over at her. This took him by surprise. The Byakugan was a powerful Kekkei Genkai but what would any normal ninja need it for? Sasuke recalled seeing the books that Hinata was carrying out yesterday pertaining to the Hyuuga anatomy. So that's what happened. He hadn't given it much thought ever since he came across the classified scrolls.

Sasuke had heard of people being after the Byakugan and even the Sharingan. The only real 'steal' he knew of was his former sensei Kakashi, which was more of a gift than a steal. He crossed his arms and stared at Sakura.

"I take it they weren't successful." He said. Sakura nodded sullenly. Sasuke recalled seeing Neji around the Academy, but not as much until the Chuunin exams those many years ago. He would admit that Neji was a strong ninja but things like this happened all the time so he didn't see what the fuss was about.

"His eye has been severely damaged, however. It's unlikely he'll ever use the Byakugan in that eye. But you never know… we've been proven wrong before." She smiled at him. Her smile indicated that she had other reasons of coming to chat with him and he had nothing left to say to her. Sasuke turned to continue walking but she reached out to grab his arm.

"Sasuke-kun…" Her voice was soft and he could tell where this conversation was going. He immediately snatched his arm away from her.

"I'm busy." He said sternly and she stared at him with that sad look he had grown accustomed to seeing in his youth. Nothing seemed to have changed around here except that Naruto might finally understand what 'leave me alone' means. Her gaze avoided his and she turned away. For some reason this sudden sadness in the girl didn't bother him as it had with Hinata. It was one of those unexplainable things that Sasuke refused to think about as he left Sakura standing on the edge of the market district.

While approaching the training grounds, Sasuke couldn't help but think back to what had happened with Neji. There was just something uneasy about the whole situation as if he should be worried. In retrospect, Uchiha Sasuke had nothing to worry about. He was capable of taking care of himself and he would if he had to for the rest of his life. But the situation seemed…fishy. The person who attacked Neji had to of known what they were doing in order to take an eye. They had to know where to cut, the precise veins and flow of chakra as well as making sure not to damage it.

It wasn't really that he was worried about himself, but more or less, worried about Hinata in a weird sort of way. He couldn't explain it to himself. She was just too innocent and, in his eyes, too weak to fend for herself. Sasuke was of course forgetting that she was ranked higher than him but that was neither here nor there.

The sounds of footsteps and metal clinking had him stop at the entrance of the training grounds. Someone had arrived before him which was slightly annoying. His eyes narrowed gently at who his eyes landed upon and suddenly he felt his stomach churn in response. _Hyuuga._ It was the first time he had ever seen her train before and it was somewhat strange to him. The way that she moved was fluid and almost dance-like which he frowned at; ninja weren't supposed to be majestic or something of beauty. Not to mention, his eyes couldn't stop staring at the way her figure looked as on occasion her sweater would rise up to show some ivory skin.

Something else about her caught him by surprise about her techniques. He knew the basics of the Hyuuga stances, jutsus and Byakugan but it was interesting to see it firsthand. Her delicate hands were lit up with chakra but they were in the shapes of lions as she practiced. Suddenly she jumped up with a fist full of shuriken and as they flew towards their target, Sasuke noticed that even the shuriken were engulfed in not just chakra, but the shape of the lion as well. It was something he had never seen before.

One last observation was the expression on her face. It was look of someone who had been defeated and was trying to pick up the pieces to put them back into place. He figured the fate of Neji had somewhat on an impact on her. If Sasuke was anyone else, he'd sympathize with her but he didn't. _She_ still had her Byakugan so the logic of being sad for someone else's faults didn't process in his brain.

Deciding he had done enough loitering, Sasuke took a few kunai from his pouch and figured he might interrupt her training session as she had done so to him. With speed and precision, Sasuke disappeared from the entrance and he was there to deflect her last lion-infused shuriken. It caught Hinata off guard, but she wasted little time jumping backwards. Sasuke stood tall as he stared at her and she kept her stance just in case.

She had no idea what Sasuke's intentions were or how long he had been watching her. Hinata fought to catch her breath and she waited for him to speak, but he just stood there. After a few moments, Sasuke bent done to pick up the shuriken he had deflected. It slipped down his pointer finger and then it twirled in a circle.

Hinata's eyes watched it wildly as something blinked in her mind. A memory of a much younger Sasuke attempting to spin a shuriken was rustled up; his hands were much smaller and incapable of spinning it. His eyes had a shimmer to them… a small light that seemed to calm her nerves. Dark and dull eyes replaced the glistening ones from her memory and she didn't have much time to reflect. Sasuke handed her the shuriken he had been twirling.

"Do that again." His voice was lacking emotion but there was some curiosity sparking behind those words. Hinata hesitated before relaxing her body and then taking it in her hand. His dark eyes remained focused on her hands as they lit up with the feline shaped chakra. With the shuriken in one hand, she ran forward and jumped up in the air as it released. It spun towards the target with the lion shaped chakra surrounding it before it sliced through the target and into the tree bark behind it.

Sasuke watched it and was silent. _Impressive._ She was stronger than she looked and Tsunade was right—her chakra control was spot on. Hinata was able to manipulate the ninja tool and max out its true potential with chakra surging through it. Of course Sasuke was also basing his surprise of Hinata's strength by what he had seen in the Academy which wasn't anywhere near what it was now.

Hinata wasn't sure what he wanted or why he cared about her technique. Her views of Sasuke were constantly being changed. Some days he was patient with her and other days it was like walking on eggshells with him. She reached up to wipe a bead of sweat that travelling down her forehead and then brushed off her shirt.

"Have you ever used a full size shuriken?" His question surprised her and she looked over her shoulder at him.

"U-Um… yes, just once at the Academy." Hinata said thinking back to the awful and embarrassing moment of trying to throw it. It was simply too heavy and awkward for her.

"That technique would be better with the full size." Sasuke said simply before crossing his arms on his chest. Hinata bit her lower lip in thought. It would require a lot of chakra control, build up and precision… something Hinata didn't think she had.

"I don't think I could do it." She said softly. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders.

"That's what training is for." He replied and Hinata looked over at him. "After work tonight, we'll see what you can do."

Hinata blinked at him in disbelief. She opened her mouth to protest but one more surprising thing came from the Uchiha.

"Someone out there is on the hunt for the Byakugan." He said as the wind came in and tossed around his blue hair. Hinata watched him for a moment and she suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe. He knew about Neji. Her eyes looked away and she turned around.

"I know but…" She managed to squeak out. Sasuke walked closer to her and took a shuriken from pack to twirl on his finger once more. He felt the need to sculpt and improve the Hyuuga girl. Maybe he saw the potential or maybe it was guilt knowing that his clan could have killed her if the mission had gone according to plan.

"You aren't the heir anymore. There isn't anyone to protect you anymore." Sasuke said firmly. "You have to get stronger and be more aware."

Hinata looked up at him with such terror in her eyes that it almost caught him off guard. It was as if Sasuke was taking Neji's words right out of his mouth. She thought back to the time Neji had visited her after a mission and she had just finished cleaning up his wounds.

"_Hinata-sama… I worry about you." Neji said as he rolled down the sleeves on his robes. Hinata was screwing the lid from the ointment back on when he said that. She looked at him curiously._

"_Why?" Her voice was almost a whisper as she was slightly touched that he was at least thinking about her. Ever since Hinata had left, she figured 'out of sight, out of mind'. Of course her cousin was always a man of few words and rarely reached out to her._

"_You're on your own. I don't know, I suppose I'm just used to making sure you are safe." Neji said, almost embarrassed. Hinata smiled gently, her cheeks getting rosy. It was rare to hear him say things like that._

"_I'll be fine, Neji-niisan." She said and went to stand up. Neji grabbed her wrist and stared at her with a firm and stern look, much like her father. Their lavender eyes met and it was such a contrast; Hinata's were soft and Neji's were sharp. _

"_You are no longer the heir, Hinata-sama, so I cannot keep you out of harm's way. Please, promise me you will continue to train and grow." _

_Her eyebrows furrowed upwards. He still thought of her as a child… a weak and helpless little girl. All she could do was nod slowly and look away. _

A sense of determination and energy flowed through Hinata's body as if the anger from everyone's criticism was turning to fuel to move forward. Sasuke took the shuriken, whipped around and launched it next to Hinata's. She wasn't sure why he was offering to help her, but Hinata knew that in order to get stronger, she might need some extra guidance. The village was overflowing with mission after mission which meant Kiba and Shino were rarely around to assist with her training.

"Thank you… Sasuke."

* * *

Hinata frowned as the warm evening breeze swooped down to glide through her bangs and ruffle her light purple sweater. She was patiently awaiting Uchiha Sasuke to meet her in the training grounds as they had agreed on. For some reason he was interested in helping her with a slightly new technique. His intentions didn't seem greedy, so Hinata had hesitantly accepted.

Their day had been relatively quiet in the Konoha Library. As usual, there was little spoken between the two The silences before used to be uncomfortable and almost eerie, but now they were becoming more of a pleasant thing. Neither cared for small talk and Hinata wondered what they had in common. There wasn't much on the outside, but on the inside she could see the pain and loss of family, the loneliness that comes with pushing others away, and finding ways to numb those feelings.

Now, though, maybe they could find a way to bond through training. Hinata subconsciously thought of their short-lived friendship as small children, but it was clear Sasuke didn't remember—or didn't care. The fact that he was _late_ to their training was almost making her second guess Sasuke's commitment. Hinata waited for a half an hour and the sun was threatening to leave her in the dark. Just as she turned on her heel to head home, Sasuke appeared through the entrance.

She wasn't one to be angry at tardiness; Kiba often had trouble of keeping track of time, although she was somewhat curious to know what took him so long. Hinata noticed that on his back was a large shuriken that he had spoken of earlier that morning. He also had a backpack that she assumed was full of weapon scrolls. It was easier to 'summon' a weapon than carry one around and she had seen this in action often with Tenten.

Sasuke didn't bother with greetings; instead he stopped in front of her. Hinata noticed there was a slight hue on his cheeks and the sweet smell of sake suddenly filled the area. _He got drunk._ There was a small storm of rage in her body, but it calmed knowing that at least he had shown up. Sasuke reached onto his back to grab the large shuriken and then he held it out to her. She bit her lip and took it. As expected, it was heavier in her small hands and off the bat she worried about gaining enough momentum to throw it correctly.

"This is the full-size shuriken. I believe that this will enhance your technique to not necessarily make it better, but to broaden it." Sasuke said and she could see that his words were looser and not as stoic as usual. She nodded and let one of the blades rest on the ground.

"Before we add chakra to the mix, let's see how well you can throw it." He said as his gaze hovered over at a large target ahead on a tree. Hinata took a slow and deep breath before picking up the shuriken again. She walked over to stand in front of it and then paused to figure out her aim. Hinata remembered back to the Academy days on the proper way to throw it and attempted to line everything up correctly. Lifting it up, she was all set to throw when she felt a hand grasp her wrist.

"Adjust your stance." Sasuke simply said. "Widen your feet and make sure that when you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed a sharpness develop in her eyes. He was underestimating her again. Sasuke cleared his throat and released her wrist before stepping back. Hinata did take his advice into account, however, and with some effort she was able to step forward for momentum and send the large shuriken hurling towards the target on the tree.

Sasuke watched it spin and slam into the target. It had managed to split the wooden target in half and lodge itself into the bark from the tree. It was indeed impressive; the aim and strength seemed to be in the right place. Hinata certainly seemed proud of herself as a large smile spread across her face. It had been as successful as she'd hoped and the bubbly feeling inside was hard to ignore.

"Good." Sasuke said and they both shared a strange moment. Hinata glanced over at him with flushed cheeks and she brushed her sweater.

"T-Thank you." Sasuke reached into his bag and removed a few objects much to Hinata's surprise. They weren't scrolls but in fact they were four separate blades that he held by the circle handles. He held them up and then separated them so she could see.

"This is the Fuma Shuriken. It's a lot lighter and easier to use. It's easier to carry because the blades can collapse." He said dryly and locked the blades into place to create the shuriken. "Try this one."

This situation seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite remember it. Perhaps he had shown her different ninja weapons at the Academy. Nonetheless, Hinata chewed on her bottom lip and took it from him. It was actually much lighter and easier for her to hold. With the same stance in mind, she took a deep breath to concentrate, and let the shuriken do the rest of the work in the air. It spun around and landed right next to the other shuriken. Sasuke crossed his arms on his chest and without a word he walked over to the tree. She watched him observe the two different blades, most likely seeing which one did the most damage.

The Fuma Shuriken was lighter and traveled farther, but the traditional shuriken had more weight which led to a deeper cut into the tree. Sasuke removed both and returned back to her. With the traditional shuriken, he held it out for her.

"Add in the chakra now." He said as she took it from him. Sasuke walked passed her and the smell of alcohol tickled her nose. Her lips created a thin line and she then closed her eyes to meditate for a few moments. Sasuke's gaze watched her intently, noticing her features harden. Switching from dark pupils to the red Kekkei Genkai, he was able to gauge just how powerful this new technique was as it began to unfold. The large shuriken became engulfed in the light blue energy before molding into the familiar lion he had seen earlier that day. It was more impressive than he originally gave it credit for. Hyuuga's were known to conserve and mold their chakra into lethal weapons without actually using any, so this only doubled it's potency.

Hinata's Byakugan had also been activated as she felt the adrenaline and chakra flowing through her body. It was thrilling and Hinata's feet sudden took off. With speed, she jumped up in the air and sent the chakra engulfed shuriken flying to the target. Sasuke watched it take off from her hand and he squinted to watch it, the lion chakra almost seeming to be stampeding towards the tree.

As if cutting through butter, the shuriken sliced through the tree, the tree behind it, and finally stopping with the help of a large boulder. Hinata let her Byakugan disappear and she looked back to Sasuke with a triumphant smile. Before she could comprehend her feelings of happiness and sudden boost of confidence, Sasuke lunged at her.

It didn't give her time to dodge and she felt strong arms wrap around her body with force. With a shriek, Hinata fell back and everything moved slowly from there on out. Her light eyes locked onto the Sharingan swirling in his eyes and there was fear churning inside her stomach. She couldn't help but block it all out by squeezing her eyelids shut. His arms around her were tight and almost protective and things sped up once they hit the ground.

The two trees the shuriken cut through landed in unison, the first hitting the exact spot where Hinata had been standing. The sound of birds squawking filled the air and then it was quiet. She opened her eyes to leaves and a heavy Uchiha on top of her. Sasuke's Sharingan was gone and he was trying to unpin them both from underneath all the leaves and branches of the tree.

"Sasuke-kun…!" Hinata breathed and he looked down at her. His nose was inches from hers and his arms were still holding her tightly. Hinata couldn't help but feel her insides melt and her cheeks become redder than a tomato.

"What were you thinking?" Sasuke asked almost accusingly, his breath smelling of the sweet sake. He didn't seem to be embarrassed at their current situation, although she couldn't tell if the pink on his cheeks was from the alcohol or not.

"I-I'm sorry… I was…" Hinata attempted to say. "I was just so excited… that I had actually done something right." Sasuke stopped struggling with the branch on them and looked back down at her. The way her bangs sat disheveled on her forehead and how her gaze was focused to the side as if she was hiding tears made his features grow soft. He got the sudden urge to hold her even tighter and protect her…from something—anything.

Sasuke would blame the alcohol on those thoughts and foreign feelings. He would also blame it on the urge to run his finger down the bridge of her nose and trace those full pink lips. He didn't do that, though because he was Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke always knew that love and companionship was important, but to the correct person. He wasn't that person; Sasuke knew that he was cold, bitter and independent. He avoided love because he knew that his feelings were incapable of it.

However, _lust_ was different and Sasuke could feel hormones beginning to take over his body so he decided he would need to get off of her. Sasuke reached behind him to unsheathe his sword and within seconds the branch was sliced and he was on his feet. Hinata sat up and glumly brushed off her pants.

"Same time tomorrow?" Sasuke asked dryly as he held out his hand to help her up. That smile that she rarely showed him surfaced and her small hand grasped his. His palms were rough, cracked and full of blisters from his constant use of the Chidori, while hers remained soft and smooth. It didn't take much effort to pull up the petite Hyuuga and he watched her bangs even out. He thought about reaching out to brush them, but of course, he didn't. Sasuke looked away sheepishly. Hinata still had that smile.

"Y-Yes." She said softly and rubbed her arm absent-mindedly. Sasuke was already sick of the romantic and somewhat kinky thoughts racing through his mind, so he shrugged his shoulders and turned.

It had been a _very_ long time since he had been with a lady. In fact the thought to even seek out Sakura crossed his mind, but it didn't take long to dismiss it. _That_ would only leave to trouble and her knocking on his door every moment she got the chance.

"Just try not to get yourself killed tomorrow." Sasuke eventually said as he hopped over the fallen tree. Hinata nodded without a word, and she watched him walk away. She no longer felt terrified of the Uchiha; the constant fear of him turning on her had diminished… he didn't want to kill her, or anyone for that matter. Uchiha Sasuke wasn't such a feared monster. At heart, he was just looking for something to hold onto. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of him holding onto her earlier.

Of course it wasn't the first time a boy had been that close to her. Both Shino and Kiba had gotten her out of tight spots during missions before and even Neji had gotten too close for comfort during training. Hinata let go of the breath she had been holding and dismissed nostalgic and strange feelings that seemed to be swirling her entire body.


	8. Chapter 7: A Mission

Thanks to the folks who review, favorite or if you just check to see my updates... all is very much appreciated. For those who are like SASUHINA NOWWWWWW... :D it's a slow developing story. As much as I would love for both to just make out and then conceive a baby, it won't happen (yet...) One last thing, grammar isn't a priority for me. I do try to make everything correct, but I'm not in an English class. This is simply fun for me and hopefully fun for you to read. And if anyone out there likes to do fanart... show me your SasuHina! :) "OMT, please stop rambling." SORRY.

* * *

Sasuke woke up angry and remained angry, but he wasn't sure what the reason was. Maybe it was because the rice he had made that morning tasted awful… it was nothing like what Hinata had made for him the other day. His tea was too sweet and his loft was a mess again. Or it could also be the hangover that seemed to settle behind his eyes and pulsate persistently. If Sasuke could choose not to go anywhere, see anyone, or say anything, then he would gladly do it. He wasn't one to sit around and do nothing, but today felt like an exception.

But just as the saying goes, there ain't no rest for the wicked. He was up and out the door with just enough time to spare for a quick training session at the grounds. Sasuke half expected to see Hinata there, but the grounds were empty. He stood with his hands in his pockets, noticing someone had picked up yesterday's tree mess. Even though the sun was shining brightly, the breeze was cool and the birds chirped happily, the blood that was pumping through his veins felt cold.

Instead of dwelling on this sour feeling, which he decided to blame it on the alcohol entirely, Sasuke got to work with his routine. The entire time Sasuke trained, his thoughts seemed to wander back and forth to the Hyuuga girl. The thing that bothered him was he didn't know what made his brain tick; she was nothing more than a kunoichi with whom he got stuck working with. Sasuke's subconscious battled with his poor logic. It was something more; something deeper than just that small connection.

Sasuke usually relied on instinct. If a stranger was an enemy, he knew ahead of time. Just by the body language, the beating of one's heart, and the inconsistent chakra flow, Sasuke could see just who a person was. Most of this was attributed to the infamous Sharingan, but it was also a part of who he was. Sasuke was naturally observant and always a step ahead. _Always_.

In the case of Hyuuga Hinata, the instinct was 'protect'. When he first laid eyes on her those few weeks ago, the feeling confused him. Maybe that was why Sasuke was always undermining her because he thought she couldn't take care of herself.

In reality, the urge to protect had never come up anywhere else in his life. There was quite simply no one to protect. Sasuke recalled years back during missions with his former team—Sakura always needed looking after. She was useless and offered nothing as a ninja during those times. The thought of protecting her was a chore to him and at least Naruto could always take care of himself. When it boiled down to the basics, Sasuke only protected himself and his own dignity.

Throughout his training session, Sasuke thought back to the way Itachi kept watch over him as little boys. He was much different then—he was known to be rather loud and intrusive sometimes. Of course, impatience was something that Sasuke never seemed to grow out of. Another thought was the guilt that he, for some reason, carried on his shoulders. He wasn't willing to admit to himself that the Uchiha's hit on the Hyuuga clan was wrong, but his gut told him otherwise. It was a mix of guilt, her helplessness and the way her lavender eyes looked at him sometimes with fear and other times with joy.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Sasuke was stubborn in his ways. He refused to let strange feelings and the girl change what he had become. From the beginning, Sasuke sacrificed a normal life for a long journey of seeking out his brother. He knew the consequences and dove right in thinking of nothing but that. Sasuke traded in friendship, companionship and even relationships for his slain clan. Even though Itachi was gone, this was his life now.

"Sasuke-kun." A voice interrupted his thoughts as soon as he landed back on his feet from executing several kunai to targets. With sweat beads rolling down his forehead, Sasuke lifted his arm to wipe them away. His eyes narrowed over at Hyuuga Hinata who was watching him from a few feet away. Her small ivory fingers fidgeted with her braid, and her body language seemed hesitant. Sasuke rolled his eyes for some reason.

He couldn't put his finger on why he was angry. Sasuke wanted to be angry with her, ignore her, and want nothing to do with her like he did for everyone else. But there were thoughts in his head which went against that. He finally decided that _that_ was why he was angry—because out of all the girls in the village (or the entire land) that was starting to get to him, it was her. Someone who could have never existed thanks to his clan… she was someone who was nothing like him, but in many ways, was exactly like him.

Sasuke was angry at himself that after more than fifteen years of being the way that he was, he was so willing to protect something that meant nothing to him. There was nothing in it for him; he didn't gain a single thing from her. Hinata wasn't his friend growing up nor was she someone he had ever had feelings for. What made her so significant? What made her so endearing to him? Not knowing the answer was frustrating and it was as if it sat on the tip of his tongue. Each passing day with her it was as if he was reuniting with an old friend… it felt like he owed her something or he had made a promise to her.

The fact that he ever _cared_ enough to dig that deep into it was also frustrating. Sasuke glared at her unintentionally, which caused her gaze to avert from his. He ran a hand through his sweaty hair and began to pick up a few dropped kunai.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked and he almost cringed on the inside at the tone of his own voice. Hinata's small smile had disappeared and her hands were brought in front of her. _What did I do wrong…? Was it because of yesterday?_

"T-Tsunade-sama has summoned us." Hinata said her voice barely audible. Sasuke's face remained expressionless, but there was a swirl of curiosity in his head. What did she summon them for? Was the Hokage finally giving him the green light to start training for the Chuunin exams? Not that he needed the training, but he remembered it being slightly challenging those many years ago.

Her frown remained as she watched him return kunai to the pack on his leg, and then simply walk past her as if she didn't exist. Hinata never asked for his friendship, but at least acknowledge her. She had thought they had gotten somewhere; sometimes she would smile at him in the library and he would nod in her direction. And the previous day he had saved her from a falling tree… now she felt like they were back at the night at the bar where she stopped an all-out brawl.

Hinata increased her pace to keep up with him, although they weren't really walking together. It was more or less just a sad excuse to stay relevant with one another as they walked towards the Hokage building. The stress of Neji's condition weighed heavily on her shoulders. He was now awake but in a large amount of pain. Hinata visited him earlier that morning.

No one else had arrived to his room yet, so she was able to just sit with her cousin. She managed not to cry, although, Hinata did try to console him. Neji wasn't sad, angry, or anything; he was just there. His voice had a low tone to it and his eye remained bandaged. Hinata wondered if it was the IV in his arm that made him so apathetic or if it was the realization that he was no longer the elite ninja he worked so hard to be.

Tsunade said that it would be a miracle for his Byakugan to be 100% again, but they had some hope. Their Hokage was the best med-ninja around and the fact that even Rock Lee was able to go back to his ninja duties after similar fates seemed to help ease the worry. Hinata almost blamed herself, which was absurd; there was no way they she (or anyone) could have prevented the outcome. In a way, she felt that if anyone's ability or Byakugan was to be taken, might as well snatch hers. Being a ninja brought her joy, but it didn't give her life _purpose_. Neji had nothing else to keep him afloat both physically and mentally—he was a part of the Branch House, whose main job was to protect the Main House with their lives.

Hinata never once looked down on her cousin though he was, by their standards, below her. In fact, she looked up to him for guidance even though he would only do it because he had to. Neji never really offered her any emotional support and she never expected him to. He was just like her father which meant that everything was black and white; one was either strong or weak.

She would wonder some nights when she fell asleep in her bed if Neji would have been as strong as he was now than if his father was still alive. His death brought a sense of determination to Neji, which could also be applied to Sasuke.

Her lavender eyes hovered over at the man walking beside her as they walked through the Konoha streets. His stride was consistent, never once faltering. Those dark brown eyes were still just as mysterious to her, but from the small memories that came back to her, she recalled a time when they weren't so dull. Back then, Sasuke had something in his life to give him that boyish smile, those twinkling eyes and the almost obnoxious curiosity. Hinata's pale pink lips formed a tight thin line as it went through her mind. Now there was nothing; no one.

Although his brother didn't offer any of that when he was on the run, there was at least the comfort in knowing that Sasuke wasn't alone. Hinata couldn't imagine being the last of the Hyuuga's. Sasuke acted like it wasn't something he dwelled on but something inside told her that he was struggling to keep that composure.

The Hokage Building was directly in front of them as they climbed the familiar stone steps upwards. Normally they would be heading down towards the basement to continue their duties in the library, but instead their footsteps echoed in the opposite direction. Sasuke reached the door to Tsunade's office first and pounded on it. Hinata winced lightly as if he had startled her, but the rough 'come in!' seemed urgent.

"Hyuuga Hinata. Uchiha Sasuke. I need to make this quick." Tsunade said as they had just barely gotten in through the door. Hinata glanced around, surprised not to see Shizune.

"O-Oh. Where is Shizune-san?" She asked while folding her hands in front of her.

"She is on a mission with Naruto and Sakura." Tsunade remarked and leaned forward as her arms rested on her desk. Sasuke's lip curled slightly at knowing that Naruto was even out on a mission. It was beginning to make Konoha look stupid—they had an Uchiha on their side and they weren't even utilizing him.

"Listen up. Things might seem peaceful here, but things are uneasy to the west. As you both well know, Hyuuga Neji was attacked. According to my sources, there is interest in obtaining the Byakugan as it is useful for various things." Tsunade said firmly. Sasuke's ears had perked at this sudden information and he successfully hid his excitement. Hinata, on the other hand, bore a worried look on her face. Tsunade continued.

"I have almost every ninja available out near the border, and we've even gotten some additional help from the Sand." The Fifth Hokage paused to observe them. "Not to mention there is rumors floating around the Kabuto may be in charge of this."

The name Kabuto was hardly familiar to Hinata, but Sasuke's hands slowly formed fists at his side. It was only a matter of time before he started causing trouble again. He crossed his arms and lowered his head.

"Kabuto is after the Byakugan?" Sasuke asked dully. Tsunade shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not confirmed and it appears it's not just the Byakugan." She said as her eyes fell upon Hinata. Her features were a mix of fear and worry, but she did her best not to let it show too much.

"Hinata… I know you're worried. That is why this mission I am assigning you two is in the opposite direction."

"Don't you pose a risk having the village unguarded?" Sasuke asked suddenly, his icy gaze meeting the Hokage's. Tsunade's lips turned into a scowl while he continued to pry more information than he needed.

"Uchiha, I know what I am doing. I have the necessary ninja here in case of that, but I don't think Kabuto's motives are to go too far from the border."

"B-But…" Hinata's voice was a mere squeak. "If he's after the Byakugan then wouldn't he come here?"

"Kabuto is strong, but going up against the entire Hyuuga clan would be risky for him." Tsunade said and folded her hands on her desk. Sasuke frowned.

"He's also not stupid." He interjected. "His intentions might be deeper than we know."

"I hate to say it, but you're right." Tsunade mumbled before clearing her throat. "Your mission is to head to the north east to a small village called Nachi. It's about a day's worth of travel."

Although he was disappointed to be going in a different direction than all the action, Sasuke still had to hide a smirk that threatened to spread across his lips. A mission… He hadn't been on one of those in several years. Knowing that he would be up and actually doing something worthwhile was exciting to him. Hinata, on the other hand, could feel anxiety building up in her stomach.

"We're not the only one with eyes on Kabuto. I need you to bring classified documents to an ally who resides up there." Tsunade said as she reached into a drawer in her desk to retrieve a handful of scrolls.

"What's in the documents?" Sasuke asked as if it was his business. In his eyes, anything that had to do with Kabuto was his business—as a former 'comrade' with Orochimaru, he figured that if anyone knew the most about Kabuto it was him. Not to mention, he was very curious to hear what his need was with the Byakugan.

"That does not concern you," Tsunade replied with a slight annoyed tone. Standing from her desk, she approached Hinata with the three scrolls and held them out for her. "Hinata, I trust you to take these, however do not open them."

Hinata nodded slowly and took the scrolls in her arms. She was a bit worried because she was used to having Kiba and Shino in her team, and on the occasion, Naruto. Hinata had no experience whatsoever with Uchiha Sasuke in the field, not to mention he was much stronger than her. Tsunade crossed her arms across her large chest.

"Procedure is to have a three man team, but I'm out of options. Hinata, because you are of higher rank, you are in charge. This mission shouldn't take any longer than two days; I expect you back within that time frame."

"H-Hai." Hinata said, straightening herself to appear more confident. However, being a leader was not in her nature which could also go back to the reasoning of her loss as the heir to the Hyuuga Clan. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched at the fact that Hinata would be in charge, but knowing her, there would be little for her to 'supervise' so he ignored his jealous feelings.

Before they could be dismissed, the door burst open. A half-walking half-stumbling Neji fell to the floor, which immediately caused uproar from Tsunade who rushed to his aid. Hinata dropped the scrolls and went to his side as well. Sasuke crossed his arms, and his gaze hovered onto Neji with disinterest. The Hyuuga still had his face wrapped for his eye to begin its healing process, but it was far too early for him to out of bed.

"Neji! What are you doing? You need to be resting!" Tsunade hissed as she began applying green healing chakra to a few other wounds he had received that were bleeding through the gauze. Neji, who was winded from his struggle towards the Hokage building, stopped to catch his breath.

"Neji-niisan…!" Hinata whispered and grabbed his wrapped hand. "Why are you here?" After a few moments of silence, Neji's one lavender eye gazed at the former heiress to the Hyuuga's.

"Hinata-sama, please don't go." Neji gasped. Hinata's cheeks became rosy and Tsunade frowned before firmly lifting Neji to his feet.

"Neji, it's not your decision." Tsunade said as she helped support him as he stood. Hinata also got to her feet with tears forming in her eyes.

"N-Neji-niisan…" Hinata murmured as he grimaced in pain. Sasuke didn't feel any pity for him, although he understood his pain. He wasn't one to lay around in a hospital bed either.

"She can't go on this mission, Tsunade-sama… someone is out there hunting for the Byakugan." Neji said with a low and dull voice.

"Neji… You underestimate Hinata. She is stronger than you give her credit for. Keep in mind that she is a Jounin now and is very capable of carrying out missions." Tsunade said with some frustration. "This mission is going nowhere near where Kabuto was last spotted."

Hinata's soft eyes stared at Tsunade. That was true, she was of high rank, and even over-qualified for this easy mission. But the fear of knowing that even _Neji_ almost got killed meant that she wouldn't last a second if the foe appeared.

"You do not understand…" Neji continued and he tried to step forward to his cousin. "This man… he is much stronger than any of us. He could be anywhere. Not to mention-"

"She's going with me." Sasuke interrupted him with dry tone. Neji's good eye zeroed in on Sasuke and his pained expression became stoic. There was silence, and Hinata's gaze went from her cousin, to the Hokage, to Sasuke. She noticed that Sasuke stood firmly with his arms crossed. He didn't seem worried at all; there was no fear or anxiety hidden away. Suddenly an overwhelming feeling of relief spilled onto her. She wasn't sure if it was because of her cousin's concern for her or it was because she knew she would be alongside one of the best ninja she knew.

"T-That's right, Neji-niisan… I will be fine." Hinata whispered, turning to Neji. Neji's gaze continued to challenge the Uchiha's, but Sasuke didn't let it bother him at all.

"If anything happens to her, I will personally see to it that you are killed." The elder Hyuuga managed to threaten through a raspy voice. Sasuke's face remained unfazed by that. Instead he shrugged.

"That's fair." Sasuke's agreement to this was almost sarcastic; not only would he not allow anything to happen to the Hyuuga girl, but even if it did, Neji wouldn't be able to lay a finger on him. Tsunade sighed as the room became silent with accusing stares.

"Neji, we need you back into bed at the hospital. Now is not the time for this nonsense. Come on." She muttered, positioning his arm over her shoulders and her own arm around his waist. Neji didn't acknowledge this, but his last glance was at Hinata.

"Hinata-sama… I know you are strong. Be careful." She could only nod in response. The Hokage spoke once more.

"You leave in one hour. There is a map on my desk that will guide you there. Remember, be back within two days." She made sure to stress being back in time. Perhaps the Fifth Hokage was worried. Hinata's timid eyes locked in with Tsunade's and she eventually nodded. _Be strong, Hinata. You've been trained for this. You are a ninja… _Her own thoughts helped a bit with her confidence.

Tsunade and Neji shuffled out of the room, which left Sasuke and Hinata. With the scrolls in her arms, she turned to look at him.

"W-Well. I guess we meet in an hour." Her voice was soft as it always was. Sasuke knew that she was hiding her own fear, and he figured that she could usually pull it off with everyone else, but this was an Uchiha. There was nothing that she could hide in front of him, Sharingan or not.

"This is a simple mission. You've been through far more dangerous. Let's make it a successful one." His voice was always so flat and monotone, but she could always tell what emotion was behind it. Just like an adult to a child… like her father to her younger self… the tone was demeaning and authoritative. Hinata simply nodded solemnly and her gaze focused on her feet.

She had no idea what she had done. The previous day was fine; he helped her evolve herself, even just ever so slightly. And now he was taking it back as if he was embarrassed to be within the same room as her. Hinata didn't think she would ever understand Uchiha Sasuke.

Perhaps she didn't need to. Hinata had no idea what swirled inside his brain. He knew very well, though. Inside his mind were feelings of anger, confusion, and even excitement; anger because of just how simple his life had gotten, confusion because of the way she made him feel, and excitement to know that he had a chance to finally move up.

* * *

It was refreshing to leave the Village of Hidden Leaves for both Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata. Both had been confined to the village for quite some time, especially Hinata, and it was nice to on a mission as well. Hinata felt the cool breeze toss her bangs back and forth and she closed her eyes to enjoy the simple pleasure.

Sasuke also seemed to feel less rigid as well as they walked. He was smart; relaxing was one thing and letting down his guard was another. The fresh air and the brisk walk through the forested area were reminiscent of simpler days back in their own respective teams- both much younger and leading more similar lives.

Now they walked at 23 years old, both leading different lives with different aspirations and hopes. Sasuke's wish was to become stronger physically as a ninja. Hinata's wish was to become stronger mentally as a person. Sasuke looked to his brother, both negatively and positively, to grow and become more advanced. Even with his death, there were constant comparisons in his mind on how he differed from his brother, but somehow they both always seemed to be the same in the end. Hinata looked in the direction of Uzumaki Naruto and his will to become greater than anyone ever expected. Even though his heart and desires were far from hers, she still secretly fell asleep to him in her mind.

However, even with the two completely different thoughts, wishes and admirations, there was something that drew Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata together. Being forced to work together in a basement did seem to help, but it was a willingness to coexist together, if not something more.

Hinata adjusted the straps on her backpack as they walked, mainly in silence. She couldn't help but think of Neji and how he was so concerned over her well-being. At one point his concern was simply because Hinata was the heiress, but now it was apparent it was because he did care for her. She felt her cheeks get warm at that thought, and also knowing that Sasuke had somewhat assured him of her safety.

"S-Sasuke-kun…" She said gently.

"Nn." His eyes remained ahead of them.

"W-Why do you think Kabuto is after the Byakugan?"

There was silence for a few seconds except for the chirping of the birds. Everything seemed peaceful which was helping calm her nerves. Her thoughts were filled with unanswered questions and she thought that Sasuke might be able to provide some insight.

"He's looking for something." Sasuke wasn't 100% sure on this, but it was an educated guess. Whether it had something to do with what Orochimaru left behind or if Kabuto had his own agenda… Sasuke wasn't certain.

"I wonder what he's looking for." Hinata said with a frown. The question had been on Sasuke's mind ever since Sakura mentioned Neji. It seemed odd that Kabuto was willing to go as far as cutting it out of a Hyuuga, but he certainly knew what he was doing when it came down to where to slice.

"Whatever it is, it's not good," said Sasuke. "Even though we're in the opposite direction, he's been known to outsmart even the most brilliant."

Of course, how could he know of their mission? It was all so strange to Hinata. Her inner thoughts kept her worries away with common sense and strength in herself. Silence fell between the two again so her mind began to wander. Hinata wondered how her team was; both Shino and Kiba must be on the western border. Naruto and Sakura must be there as well.

The spiky blonde haired man took over her thoughts. Everyone seemed to know of her love and affection for him except for…him. It was a harsh feeling that had seemed to dull over the years. Hinata felt as it was almost unhealthy to obsess and love over someone who really didn't even notice her.

"I hope everyone is okay out in the west." She murmured, trying to get another reassuring thought from the Uchiha. When he didn't respond, Hinata frowned gently. "I-I'm sure they're fine. Naruto-kun is with them."

Sasuke's dark eyes did a slight roll at that remark. _People around here worship that idiot._ But there was another thing that stirred inside his body and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The only other time he felt that feeling was with Itachi. That feeling was jealousy. He almost sickened himself with that realization and he felt angry again.

Maybe there was something wrong with the anger from these feelings. He had never felt anything romance-wise with _anyone_. Sasuke never allowed it when he had a task at hand. Now that the task was complete… maybe his self-conscious was slowly releasing the flood gates.

There was silence the rest of the way to the village called Nachi mainly because Sasuke was irritated with himself. By the time they had reached the gates of the community, the sun was almost completely gone for the day. From what Hinata could see it was a very close-knit and traditional town that sat right up against a large cliff. And of course, one couldn't miss the large cascading waterfall that fell just to the east of the village creating a small river.

They proceeded across a bridge and through the open gate. According to Tsunade's map, the man they were set to meet was a bounty hunter named Kensaku who lived just on the edge of the town. Aside from what the Hokage had told her, she knew nothing about the man.

"It's q-quiet here." Hinata said. Sasuke silently agreed as they walked through the empty streets. There was a slightly uneasy feeling he had here. It almost felt…eerie. Towards the end of the street, they saw the correct house where Kensaku resided, and Hinata was about to go forward with knocking on the door when Sasuke put an arm in front of her.

"What is it?" She whispered. Sasuke frowned and listened for anything unusual.

"I sense something… different about this place." He said slowly. "Stay back."

Sasuke walked forward towards the door and listened even closer. Satisfied after a few moments, he cautiously knocked on the door. Several moments passed with no answer. Hinata chewed on her lower lip as options ran through her mind. It would be intrusive to activate her Byakugan just in case the man was home.

"Do it." Sasuke urged as if he read her mind. Her cheeks flushed and just as she was about to form the seals, the door opened.

A thin and younger man answered the door. He bore an apologetic smile and bowed gently to them. Hinata noticed his bright green eyes seemed to gleam in the setting sun and his hair was a fiery orange.

"Gomen… I was preparing tea as you knocked. I've been expecting you." He said and stepped back for them to enter. Sasuke hesitated before glancing over at Hinata. She didn't seem fazed by any strange feelings, but he stepped in front of her as she was about to enter.

"We don't need to come in." He said cautiously. "We were sent to deliver documents you requested and then we'll be on our way."

"Oh, but you must be exhausted. Konoha is so far!" Kensaku said with a smile.

"S-Sasuke-kun… we've been walking non-stop since we left this morning. It might be a good idea to stay." Hinata spoke up with a tired tone. Kensaku nodded.

"Please… I am a close friend of Tsunade. Let me treat you to a nice warm bed for the night." He said. Sasuke frowned and looked over his shoulder at her. She did seem a little wary.

"Fine, but we're gone at sunset." He said eventually. The man opened the door wider for them to both enter. The house was small and simple, indicating that the bounty hunter must not be at home very often. Hinata glanced around through the hallways as they walked until they entered a living area.

"Make yourselves at home for the moment. I will bring out some tea." Kensaku said.

"Th-Thank you, Kensaku-san." Hinata said with a slight bow. Sasuke's lip curled slightly in disgust. Something about this situation seemed to go against everything in his mind. However, Hinata had already knelt down at the table with her backpack sitting close beside her. He frowned and allowed a heavy sigh to escape. Sasuke didn't trust this Kensaku guy to sit next to her, so he slowly knelt down next to Hinata.

"Don't let your guard down." Sasuke muttered quietly to her. Hinata's light eyes glanced over at him, but she didn't get a chance to respond. Kensaku had returned with a pot of tea and a few cups for each of them.

"I apologize… I never caught your name, miss." He said with a polite smile. Sasuke watched him like a hawk with those dark eyes as Kensaku poured tea. Hinata took the cup and nodded with a slight smile.

"T-Thank you. My name is Hyuuga Hinata."

"Ahh, the legendary Hyuuga. I noticed from your eyes…" Kensaku said excitedly. She managed to smile again before sipping on her tea. His eyes moved over to Sasuke.

"And you are Uchiha Sasuke." His voice was smooth and all-knowing which caused Hinata to wonder if they knew each other.

"Iwasaki Kensaku… you've spent ten years serving as a bounty hunter for the northern part of the Land of Fire. You are highly successful, having killed over two thousand men in those ten years." Sasuke's gaze met with Kensaku's and a strange tension filled the air.

"They were right. You are very intelligent." Kensaku said after he had laughed slightly. _They?_ Hinata frowned as she set down her cup of tea.

"Um… do you know what Kabuto is after?" Hinata asked suddenly. Kensaku's green eyes twinkled at her as he took a drink from his cup. He was silent for a moment, before getting to his feet and then reaching into a desk drawer across the room.

"Unfortunately, no, Hinata-san… Those scrolls Tsunade sent over were supposed to lend some information." Kensaku remarked as he knelt back down at the table.

Sasuke felt his interest peak slightly, but he still didn't trust the man. He watched him unravel an old scroll from the left side of the table, and it was long enough to hang off the edge of the right side. Hinata leaned forward slightly to observe the hundreds of names scribbled on the old parchment.

"There are only two names on this list that I haven't been able to cross off." Kensaku said with a small smirk. "Yakushi Kabuto is one."

Hinata's eyes traveled to see Kabuto's name on the scroll. She chewed on her lip thoughtfully until suddenly her heart stopped. Uchiha Sasuke's name was also on that large scroll; every single name had been crossed off with red ink except for Kabuto and Sasuke. Kensaku watched her reaction and smiled.

"Hinata-san… not to worry… This is an outdated scroll and the clients who put out the hits are no longer in need of my service." His voice was dry with that statement. Sasuke had also seen his name but it didn't surprise him. He figured he had ended up on quite a few bounty hunters' scrolls. In fact, he recalled defeating a few in his time.

Hinata managed to nod before staring at her fidgeting fingers in her lap. Maybe Sasuke was right… this man was very strange and almost untrustworthy. She suddenly felt uncomfortable and subconsciously scooted closer to the Uchiha next to her.

"So you're after Kabuto because he's on your list?" Sasuke grunted, his fixated gaze not faltering. Kensaku rolled the scroll back up with a friendly smile. There was something about this man that he couldn't figure out. He was very familiar to him… maybe their paths had crossed during his travels. Sasuke was usually good with remembering faces, names, their weaknesses and sometimes even more, just by acquainting himself, but not in this case.

"It's a bit more personal than that. Well now. It's quite late… you two must be exhausted. Allow me to show you to your room." Kensaku said while his smile widened.

* * *

The room that Kensaku had provided only had one bed, so obviously it was given to Hinata. Sasuke had unrolled his sleeping bag on the floor just across the room so he was in clear view of the window, a sleeping Hyuuga, and the door. Sasuke didn't trust anything at this point; his gut was telling him that something was off.

With his back up against the wall, his tired dark eyes settled on Hinata's dark form on the bed. It almost felt like his responsibility to watch after her. Much to his distaste, the fact that Neji was worried slightly had _him_ worried. It wasn't in his nature to care much of other people's fate unless it in return affected his own life. Sasuke frowned and rubbed his heavy eye lids.

Of course, if anything happened to her… it would mean that he would no longer work in the library. The thought of that didn't settle well in his stomach for whatever reason, so he ignored it. However, in his tired state, Sasuke drifted in and out of sleep as he sat up against the wall. Dreams faded in and out; some about his prior life with his family and all of the times that he missed so dearly. Other dreams were about Naruto, former comrades, and even Hinata made an appearance.

In that particular dream, she was younger and standing in the shadows of her family. The only thing that was lit up was her lavender eyes, but he could tell they were full of sorrow. Sasuke tried to run towards her with the instinct of gathering her up in his arms, but he was essentially running place. The gleam from a pair of eye glasses blinded him as an image of Kabuto taking a young Hinata by the hand appeared.

_No…_ He tried to run faster to her, but Kabuto only smiled. _No… She is my princess! I have to protect her!_ Sasuke watched helplessly as the image burst into flames in front of him.

"Sasuke-kun…!" Her voice was calling for him as his legs froze in place and suddenly everything was dissolving. Hinata was there sitting in front of him and even though the room was dark he could clearly see her face. Her hair was a wavy mess that had escaped from it's braid but she still looked strangely angelic to him. Sasuke suddenly sat up and grabbed her shoulders firmly.

"…Sasuke-kun." Hinata gasped as his hands squeezed her and suddenly she found herself forced up against his broad chest. She had no idea what to do; it was a very uncomfortable situation. Her cheeks got so hot that she thought she might burn a hole in his shirt. His arms were wrapped around her and she could feel his chin rest on the top of her head. Hinata was slightly terrified and slightly curious at this extreme change in character. She wasn't sure if he was just being…a man and responding to his own hormones, or if he was just a strange state of mind from being woken up.

Hinata could hear his heart beating fast in his chest and there was something she had never noticed about him before… Uchiha Sasuke smelled like flowers. It was a very faint smell, but there was no denying it. Perhaps it was his way of covering up strange smells, or maybe it was just something he preferred. In the end, Hinata figured it was probably the soap he used.

Sasuke never said anything. In fact, she suspected that he had fallen asleep again because his breathing pattern became more drawn out than normal. She squirmed a bit once his grip on her had loosened and then gently laid him back down on his sleeping bag. Hinata frowned and moved a strand of hair that had fallen in the crevices of his eyelids.

_What just happened?_ Her stomach had knots in it and her cheeks were finally starting to lose their color. She had only come over to check on him because she heard whimpering down on the floor. Hinata watched him sleep for a few moments while the events ran rampant in her mind. The feeling in her stomach, the warmth on her cheeks, and the small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips… the only other time she felt that was with Naruto.

Surely small and quiet Hyuuga Hinata wouldn't be feeling something for the dark and mysterious Uchiha? She almost laughed at herself and looked away from him. Hinata was being silly… there was simply no room in her heart for anyone else. Even Kiba had sought out for her affections a few years ago but he gave up after a few awkward situations.

Hinata understood why Naruto never paid her any attention; he deserved better. She held him up on a high pedestal…as if he was way out of her league. Hinata felt like it was better that way. With Sasuke, he was constantly changing his mind about her and it was an unstable feeling. However just recently, she had never felt safer with him by her side.

There was something there ever since Sasuke had returned from Konoha. There was a feeling inside her that said there was something _more_ to this man than everyone said. He was _more_ than a rogue ninja; he was more than Orochimaru's old apprentice; he was more than an Uchiha. She never realized it until now, but he was her protector.


	9. Chapter 8: Friend or Foe?

Fireflies lit up the night sky in Konoha. Merchants were busy catering to the late evening crowd as it was the beginning of a weekend. Many folks were out celebrating as the Academy had just graduated several students that day; there were now more Genin on the roster however because of the crisis out West, many would not get in groups of three until there were enough sensei's to go around.

Japanese lanterns lit up the village and even the Hokage contributed to that as well with her office still lit up as bright as the moon. For the past few weeks, Tsunade had been working later and later than usual. Especially with Shizune preoccupied with tracking Kabuto, it meant more work for her. With several scrolls strewn across her desk, she tried to concentrate on finishing up a few reports before she called it a day.

Everything was quiet in the building expect for the occasional yawn from Tonton, but something caught her attention. There were swift footsteps heading down the hallway and her stomach dropped. _Something is wrong…_

"Tsunade-sama!" A masked member of the ANBU burst into her office and quickly shut the door behind him. Tsunade couldn't help but feel nervous.

"What is it?" She asked quietly before dipping her brush into the ink bottle. Even though the moon was shining brightly and the village was at peace, everything surrounding them was crumbling. Kabuto was doing a fine job of making things uneasy, just as Orochimaru had done. He wasn't someone to underestimate; Kabuto didn't have the same effect as his former leader but he was more clever and _sneaky_. This was making Tsunade on edge more than usual.

"It's Kensaku-san." The ninja said, his voice failing to stay emotionless. Flashes of the gruesome scene played out in his mind as he looked down at his feet. "What was left of his body was found up north…"

Tsunade stared hard at him. The grip on the brush was beginning to strain it until it snapped in between her fingers. _That's impossible… I just received a mission request from him yesterday…_ Her eyes suddenly got wide and a series of curses exploded in her mind. _No… No!_

"What is the latest status report of Kabuto out west?!"

"From what Kiba sent earlier, Kabuto's presence is very strong but he is untraceable… As soon as they get close to the source, it simply vanishes." He said. Tsunade tossed what was left of her ink brush and let her head rest on her hand. That jutsu was forbidden... Kabuto had left his ghost, basically, and it was very possible he wasn't even there anymore.

"Damnit… I need a team sent out to Nachi immediately! There is a high chance that Kabuto is there… and in disguise. How quick can you get there?"

"Nachi… we can be there by mid-morning." The ANBU said. Tsunade cursed again and closed her eyes. That wasn't soon enough. Kabuto wasn't wasting any damn time... he was determined to get his hands on the Byakugan. Tsunade already figured why, as well, as it must have something to do with the late Orochimaru.

"Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke were sent on a mission there. They should be back by tomorrow but if my gut is telling me right… Hinata is in danger."

"I will gather a team and we will leave immediately." And with a flash, the ninja disappeared. Tsunade could feel her blood boiling in her body. She slammed her shaking fist down onto her desk sending splintered wood flying and tearing up her scrolls.

"Damnit… Kabuto. I swear on Dan's grave… if you as much as touch Hinata, I will kill you myself." She murmured through gritted teeth. _Damnit…damnit…damnit…_

Neji was almost killed in the process of getting the Byakugan cut from his eye. If Guy hadn't gotten him to Konoha when he did, Neji surely would have lost too much blood. The only thing offering her some relief was knowing that Sasuke was with Hinata… but he wasn't one to think of anyone but himself. Kabuto was a former 'comrade' as well so this predicament was not good… not good at all.

Tsunade stood up from her desk suddenly and ran from her office. The clicking of her heels echoed through the hallways while a bead of sweat traveled down her cheeks. Her destination was the messenger room, full of birds that were trained to travel long distances to deliver information to Konoha ninja. She only hoped that she could get the word to draw back the several ninja who were stationed towards the west in time.

* * *

Sasuke could feel a pair of eyes on him. Realization of this caused him to sit up immediately and his eyebrows furrowed. With a frown he rubbed his forehead. He wasn't supposed to fall asleep; his plan was to stay up most of the night to make sure those suspicious feelings he felt earlier with Kensaku weren't just feelings. He ignored her.

"D-Did you sleep okay?" Hinata's soft voice filled the air and sent an unexpected chill down his spine. He knew she was awake, watching him, and observing him, but for some strange reason, her voice was very comforting and almost had a soothing tone. _Knock it off…_ He felt frustrated with his feelings again.

"Nn." Sasuke grunted and ran a hand through his messy bed-head hair. He was specifically ignoring her because of his assurance to her that she wouldn't have to worry about relieving him of his watch last night. More importantly, Sasuke had dreamt of her and that was unacceptable to him.

Hinata still sat on the bed with her knees at her chest in a slight hug. Ever since he had held her in his arms last night, she found it difficult to fall back asleep. Her mind was confused at the intimate touches and her cheeks even grew rosy just at the thought. No one had ever held her like that and she only ever dreamt about it with her blonde haired love. Of course at her age, it was long overdue to start addressing not only her feelings but as well as her womanly hormones. Sasuke was a very handsome man but she was still very modest.

Sasuke stood up and his eyes caught her gaze. He looked away quickly and knelt to roll up his sleeping bag. Hinata chewed on her bottom lip and debated on asking about his dreams from last night. The whimpering and unrecognizable words worried her, of course. Her eyes watched the way his eyebrows furrowed and how every so often he would shake the hair from his eyes as he rolled his bag up. Hinata decided his mood wasn't the greatest at this particular moment, so instead she began to run her fingers through her long hair.

A knock at the door caused Hinata's shoulders to tense up and Sasuke stood up irritably. He crossed his arms and put a firm foot in front of the door to ensure some privacy.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked dryly. There was a moment of silence.

"Good morning. I have some tea brewing along with some breakfast before you leave." Kensaku seemed awfully cheerful which was like nails on a chalkboard for Sasuke. His gaze shifted over towards Hinata who was finishing up a braid.

"We need to leave now." He said after hearing Kensau's footsteps walking away from the door. Hinata frowned as she swung her legs over to touch the floor.

"O-Okay… Um. Sasuke-kun?" Her fingers fidgeted in her lap. Sasuke ignored her, but that was usual for him. As long as an icy glare wasn't shot her way, she was all in the clear to continue.

"Does Kensaku bother you?"

"I don't trust him."

"Oh. Well, Tsunade-sama said he was an ally, so I wasn't sure." She murmured before standing up and smoothing out the covers on the bed.

There was a strange silence that followed. Usually their quiet moments were fine and both never seemed to think much of them however it felt almost awkward. Hinata's mind raced with problems back home and with the events of the past few days. Sasuke's remained at a standstill; he was constantly double-checking everything to make sure that this mission went by as smooth as possible.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he just wanted to show the Hokage that any mission came easy to him or if it was just keeping the Hyuuga girl safe. It was something that weighed on his shoulders as they headed out to leave. Kensaku was still sitting on the tip of his tongue; the flaming red hair and deep green eyes were usually something Sasuke would remember about a certain person. He was coming up on a blank.

"I've decided to go to Konoha with you." Kensaku said as he rested a bag on his shoulder. Hinata stopped pulling on her shoes and something about that didn't seem right. Sasuke, who had been waiting near the door, shot him a glare.

"Why?"

"Well, if Kabuto is out west, it will be easier for me to get to him by going through Konoha." The man said while his eyes twinkled. Hinata's gaze hovered over in Sasuke's direction and she could tell he wasn't thrilled at the idea.

"No." He simply said while his arms crossed his chest. Kensaku smiled politely and lifted a finger to scratch his cheek.

"I really won't be of any trouble." The man walked over towards where Hinata was sitting and knelt down. "Hinata-san… didn't you say you were in charge?"

Hinata felt her cheeks get pink and didn't dare look over at the Uchiha. She could already feel his piercing glare at her. He would be furious if she stepped on his toes however… Hinata couldn't say no either.

"W-Well. I mean…" Her voice trailed off as she tried to calculate a response that would please both men.

"Fine. Just mind your own business." Sasuke spoke up before she had a chance. Hinata could feel Kensaku's breath down the back of her neck and she immediately stood up and brushed some dust from her pants. Kensaku licked his lips as he watched her before standing as well.

"Of course, of course… you won't even know I'm there."

Hinata felt uneasy so she began to fidget with loose strands of hair around her face. She recalled earlier that morning when she handed him the scrolls. His interest in them was surprisingly low; instead he asked her questions about the Hyuuga clan. It was painfully awkward to explain to him that even though she had been the heir, it was given to her younger sister instead. Kensaku would stare into her eyes with such curiosity that it made her feel uncomfortable. Hinata felt much safer knowing that Sasuke was near her.

The weather just outside of Nachi was humid and warmer than Konoha. They had received rain over night which left them with muggy conditions that morning. Hinata could feel sweat forming underneath her bangs and every so often she would see a bead roll down the bridge of Sasuke's nose. He would ignore it, of course, just as he did everything else.

Kensaku was quiet; he walked slightly behind them until Sasuke requested he walk ahead of them. Sasuke's voice was sharp and cautious which caused Hinata to tighten the grip on the straps of her backpack. Something about this made her extremely nervous, but it at least gave her and Sasuke something in common—Kensaku was the odd man out in their group.

The man was hesitant to comply, but Kensaku did trudge on ahead of them. It gave Sasuke the opportunity to switch his Sharingan on and take a quick peek at what the bounty hunter was hiding. Hinata glanced over at him.

"Sasuke-kun…?" She said as quietly as possible. Sasuke was silent in disappointment, noting nothing out of the ordinary.

"I know him from somewhere." He mumbled as his reddened eyes dulled to their usual darkness.

"H-He seems very polite…but." Hinata whispered while her fingers curled in front of her lips. "He asked me a lot of questions this morning while you were packing."

Sasuke's eyes never once left Kensaku as he walked casually in front of them but he was curious when she told him that. What made that man so interested in the Hyuuga?

"What did he want to know?"

"J-Just about my father… and I told him about how Hanabi was now the leader." Her voice was low to begin with, but Sasuke heard a slight twinge of sadness in her tone.

"I don't want you talking to him." Sasuke suddenly said. Hinata felt her cheeks go red in embarrassment. Anyone else might have found it touching that the cold-hearted Uchiha was showing some feeling, but it only reminded her of the way her father treated her. She went silent, but Sasuke didn't seem to notice or care.

The day seemed to trudge on; the humidity lifted the further they traveled from Nachi. Sasuke kept a firm eye on Kensaku, who was relatively (and unusually) quiet throughout the day. In fact there was little said even between the two Leaf ninja. He thought back to the dreams he had last night. The question of why any of it was relevant was something that kept coming up. Kabuto had his sights set on the power of the Byakugan and there was the danger of Hinata being out in the open. Why did it matter to him? Why did he feel the need to protect her? It offered him nothing.

Sasuke would have continued to question this but Kensaku stopped walking in front of them. Sasuke's hand snaked back to the sword sitting in its sheath behind him. Hinata watched the wind blow Kensaku's bright hair and it brought on an eerie sight.

"We aren't stopping." Sasuke said with a flat tone. Kensaku kept his back to both Konoha ninja before chuckling.

"Sasuke-kun… you're still as demanding as I remember." His voice was quiet but each word he said sent a shiver of terror through Hinata's body like shock waves. Her knees began to tremble and she stood frozen. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed as that sentence seemed to shake his memories loose. His face remained expressionless while his grip tightened on the handle of his sword.

"Kabuto." Sasuke growled. That name alone was enough for Hinata to fall to her knees in pure fear. Normally this was unlike her; she was a trained ninja who was willing to give her life up in a moment for her village. However, over the years, her confidence sank especially after her clan was taken from her. If she wasn't good enough for the Hyuuga's what made her good enough for Konoha?

Kensaku disappeared in a puff of smoke and the gleam from Kabuto's eye glasses flashed in the midafternoon sun. He turned to face them with a hand resting on his hips. The polite smile from Kensaku remained on his lips and it caused a rush of adrenaline to surge through Sasuke's body. _This feeling…_ The feeling of battle was amazing. He hadn't felt such a thing in weeks, if not months. This was who Sasuke was—a horrible monster born to kill. He wasn't someone that could sit still at a desk…or hold a frail woman in his arms to soothe her fears.

"It's nice to see you… how long has it been?" Kabuto asked thoughtfully. Sasuke remained still just waiting for the right moment. He should have known from the get-go; Kensaku's familiar mannerisms weren't of any bounty hunter he had ever come across. Word around town was the real Kensaku was someone to be fearful of and rarely showed any kind of hospitality. Kabuto frowned at Sasuke's lack of response and tsked him.

"Sasuke-kun… I assumed that after spending time with such a nice young woman you might have learned some manners." Kabuto said, his friendly smile curling into a menacing smirk. Hinata trembled, her light eyes staring straight at the rogue ninja in front of them. _Hinata… get up. What would Father think?_ She could feel tears forming behind her eyes and she tried to wish them away. _I have to do something…!_

"What do you want with the Byakugan?" Sasuke asked, taking a step forward. Kabuto shrugged his shoulders casually.

"Oh? And why would it matter to you?" Kabuto asked before he chuckled. "This has nothing to do with you."

Sasuke was silent. The anger inside was building but he knew better than to let it get the best of him. Kabuto's gaze left Sasuke and landed on Hinata. She could feel him seeing right through her; no wonder he was so interested in her clan. He was probing her for information… if he couldn't get her Byakugan then he could certainly find another way. Kabuto was also now aware that Hiashi was no longer the leader which meant it would be easier to infiltrate Konoha.

"Does this Hyuuga girl mean something to you, Sasuke-kun?" Kabuto asked his eyes still staring longingly at her.

"She's my ticket to ranking up."Sasuke said without missing a beat. Hinata felt her stomach churn violently at that statement. Tears that she tried to hide spilled down her ivory cheeks. _He is using me._ Kabuto laughed suddenly before adjusting the glasses that had slid down the bridge of his nose.

"Interesting… You haven't changed at all. I figured with your brother's death… maybe you could be something better." Kabuto made sure the tone of his voice was extra toxic.

Sasuke's eyes switched from dark brown to red within seconds. With lightning fast reflexes, Sasuke disappeared from Hinata's side, but Kabuto was there to deflect the sword with his scalpel. The sound of metal clinking together filled the air. Sasuke could see every move that his foe was using but something wasn't right… Kabuto was barely putting up a fight.

With a scowl fighting to escape his throat, Sasuke shoved the blade of his sword into Kabuto's stomach as a test. Just as suspected, Kabuto burst into a puff of smoke. Sasuke was just as prepared as he heard a screech from behind him.

"Sasuke-kun!" Hinata had been yanked up into a tight choke hold, while Kabuto's scalpel rested dangerously close to her eyes. Kabuto grinned and leaned down to whisper into her ear.

"You've grown, Hinata-san… last time I saw you, you were so weak that you required my medical attention." His breath was hot as she struggled within his grasp. "You won't be so lucky like your cousin."

His blade pushed deeper onto her skin and she began to panic. Flashes of her family shot before her eyes… her father, her sister and Neji… even a blurry image of what she remembered as her mother. The last image to shoot through her mind was a very young Uchiha Sasuke who was smiling brightly. Hinata could feel her body getting hot as she squeezed her eyes shut.

Sasuke was already in a counterattack as he appeared behind them. Two snakes slithered down and out of his sleeves and shot out towards Kabuto's ankles. Kabuto was a step ahead and jumped to avoid their grips. With Hinata still in his grasp, they landed several feet away; however this didn't discourage the snakes who followed them.

"Ch… we'll get this over and done with." Kabuto murmured in her ear. With quick precision, the scalpel sunk deeper and deeper into the flesh around her eye. He could feel excitement running through his blood stream knowing that he was finally getting his hands on the legendary Byakugan. Much to his dismay, the girl he held tight disappeared in a puff of smoke. He narrowed his eyes but only had enough time to dodge the snakes that were at his feet again.

His main focus at this point was now Sasuke who had withdrawn the snakes and had his sword out. Kabuto acted quickly to block it with his scalpel; it wasn't his intention to go to battle. He didn't think that the Hyuuga would have been smart enough to see through his disguise nor did he plan on Sasuke protecting her. He smirked as they went back and forth.

"Sasuke-kun… you could have been something great. Orochimaru-sama showed you everything you know… why not help me? I can bring him back." Kabuto remarked before jumping backwards. Sasuke didn't allow him any breathing room.

"So that's why you're after the Byakugan?" Sasuke asked sarcastically. He had an idea of Kabuto's motives and it most likely revolved around reviving Orochimaru. Kabuto laughed when Sasuke's sword cut through the scalpel in his hand. A gleam from his glasses hid the emotion in his eyes but Sasuke could care less. Kabuto had stopped fighting back and instead allowed the Uchiha to hold the blade of his sword to his neck.

"You're weak." Sasuke observed quietly.

"Yes… I am at a disadvantage… most of my chakra is still back west as a decoy." There was another chuckle but Sasuke was tired of this fight. His fist curled up tightly at his side and then slammed into the jaw of Kabuto which sent him flying to the ground. Before he could get up, the blade of the sword pressed into the skin of his throat keeping him on his back. A trickle of blood slowly spilled down Kabuto's chin as he snickered.

"You would have thought that the Konoha ninja would be better than that." He muttered, reflecting on the ninja out towards the West. "With such great talent… surely they could have seen through it."

"Shut up." Sasuke applied more pressure to the blade that sat up against his Adam's apple. "There is something you're looking for… what is it?"

"Oh dear. I don't believe that you're entitled to that information any more. You left us." Kabuto said through a wince of pain. "But if you come back… we can work together. I can make you even stronger."

The thought of getting stronger flashed in his mind and for a millisecond he considered his options. It would be an amazing feeling to advance his jutsus with the help of the darkness… but it was all too easy. He had done it once before, but it had wreaked havoc on his body and his mind. By surprise, Hinata flashed in his mind; she was down in the library with a few books in her arms but something was different… she was smiling. It wasn't her polite smile and it wasn't forced like he had seen so many times before. This smile was genuine and happy.

Kabuto watched as his red eyes slowly appeared dark again and he could see Sasuke was unusually distracted. He slowly inched his fingers into the pack on his leg and grasped a kunai. Kabuto closed his eyes and then made his move. He shoved the blade of the sword away from his throat with the kunai and then swung his leg to knock Sasuke off his feet.

Sasuke was quicker and was able to avoid this easily. He jumped back onto the branch of a tree and hastily threw together a few seals with his fingers. Kabuto growled as he could feel his body weakening from the little chakra that remained. Before he had time to react, a giant fire ball engulfed his surroundings.

Sasuke's eyes watched from the tree branch and he scanned the rest of the forest behind him for any traces of his comrade. _Where are you hiding, Hyuuga?_ He was beginning to get worried. Kabuto was shielding the heat with his arm but he was able to jump to safety with the kunai ready and set to fire back at Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun… it's time to stop fucking around!" Kabuto shrieked and a maniacal laugh followed it as if he had gone mad. "I _will_ get that Byakugan… I will find the resurrection scroll. I will bring back Orochimaru-sama."

Suddenly a whoosh from behind Sasuke caused his hair to flutter and he watched a blue blur charge towards Kabuto. If someone was close enough, they would be able to see a very thin smile tug at the corners of Sasuke's lips as he realized what was happening. The blue blur was charging like a lion just like he had taught Hinata before. The shuriken was engulfed with her technique and it certainly caught Kabuto off guard. He did move, however, not without the shuriken grazing the top of his right shoulder.

"Aghh!" Kabuto instantly reached up to grip his wound while blood poured down his arm. Hinata jumped from the tree next to Sasuke and landed on the ground several feet away from Kabuto. There was a sense of adrenaline pumping through her body as she watched Kabuto fall to a knee. He laughed before spitting blood to his left.

"Hinata-san… I suppose I underestimated you." He said through gritted teeth. Hinata took one step forward. Sasuke frowned and kept a firm watch on the scene unfolding… even though Kabuto was injured and severely low on chakra, he _always_ seemed to have something up his sleeve.

"W-Why? Why do you want to bring that awful man back to life?" Her voice quivered between fear and anger for Kabuto. He bowed his head in silence. "Why!? You attacked my cousin… my family. O-Orochimaru was a horrible person! He was—"

"You know _nothing_…" Kabuto spat another mouthful of blood at her feet.

"Hinata." Sasuke's voice joined the conversation to warn her she might be going down a path that would terrify her even more. She ignored Sasuke.

"Please… p-please." Her voice was softer and she took another step forwards the man on the ground. Sasuke felt a growl shoot up from his throat as he jumped down from the tree branch. He reached out to grab her arm to pull her back, but she resisted.

"Damnit, will you listen to me?!" Sasuke's eyes narrowed at her.

"N-No! I am not a child…!"

"You don't know what you're dealing with."

A slow laugh interrupted them from Kabuto who had raised his eyes level to them. The entire time he had his hand on his wound, he was applying first aid chakra which gave him the opportunity to stand.

Without warning, Sasuke pulled her back with more force which caused a strange series of events. Hinata felt the wind get knocked out of her chest as everything got _really_ hot and there was a loud ringing in her ears. Her skin and entire body burned badly… enough for her to cry out in pain.

Something else was happening… she felt herself being thrown but there was someone there to soften the blow. Hinata found herself gripping on Sasuke and the impact from the blast caused her to be forced into his chest. She didn't remember landing from the blast nor did she recognize any of the several muffled voices that filled the area. All Hinata could concentrate on was her burning skin, the ringing in her ears, and the way Sasuke held her tight.

Hinata wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not. Maybe she was… because she could hear someone whispering in her ear. _I won't let anything happen to you._

* * *

There was something warm in her hand. Hinata tried desperately to open her eyes, but they felt so heavy. The ringing in her ears had stopped and instead she could hear a woman's heels clicking on marble floor in the distance. She stirred a bit and the warmth in her hand disappeared. _No…_ Hinata whimpered gently at the sudden loss of comfort. She tried to remember the last thing that had happened, but it was hard to concentrate with so much extra weight on her body.

Instead of struggling, Hinata focused on the feelings on her body. She could feel her arms and legs were wrapped with gauze so she must be in the hospital, but why? As if someone had released the floodgates, memories came back with Kabuto's scalpel at her eye and the sudden intense heat. Her eyes shot open and she felt overwhelmed by light and emotion.

"Hinata-sama…" The familiar voice to her left caught her off guard as tears involuntarily slipped down her cheeks. She slowly moved her head to gaze up at Neji, who still had his face wrapped around his eye. His expression was usually hard to decipher but the small smile on his lips was loud and clear.

"N-Neji-niisan…" Hinata's throat was so dry that she could barely squeak out his name. Neji reached up with his uninjured hand to wipe a tear from her ivory cheeks. Her expression was blank, but he knew that she was confused and scared.

"You are in the hospital." His voice was assuring, but it didn't stop the flow of tears. She felt silly; there was no reason behind her emotion… perhaps it was just too much. All Hinata could manage was a slow nod.

"Hinata-sama… you were attacked. Do you remember?" Neji's words were complicated in her groggy state, but he was patient. Her thoughts were swarming all trying to fight their way out, but the only thing she could concentrate on was where Sasuke was.

"Where is Sasuke-kun?"

Neji was silent and he avoided looking into her teary eyes. He was under the impression that they had gotten close considering they had spent a lot of time together within the past few months. Neji had heard of Sasuke's return the moment he stepped foot in Konoha and assumed it would cause problems. It surprised the entire village to hear that he was staying out of trouble mainly because he was under close watch of Tsunade, and in retrospect, Hinata as well.

"He is recovering down the hall." Neji finally muttered. She attempted to sit up, but the pain in her legs kept her from moving. Trying to remember what happened was blurry… there was an explosion, of course, but she didn't know how or why it happened.

"M-May I see him?" Hinata asked gently. Neji frowned at her request.

"Well, according to Tsunade-sama, he is recovering from burns all up and down his back and legs." He said. "Kabuto put several paper bombs all over the area you were at. It seems like it was all a part of his plan."

Hinata's eyes widened. _He protected me._ She looked away from her cousin and slowly exhaled. Now everything made sense… the sudden burst of heat and debris; Sasuke must have grabbed her and shielded her as best as he could.

There was a knock at the door, and then it slid open to reveal her father. Hinata glanced over at him weakly and if she could have fallen by surprise, she would have. Behind him was Tsunade who offered her a comforting smile.

"F-Father…" She squeaked. He walked in closer to stand next to her bed side.

"Hinata… how are you feeling?" There was little to no emotion behind his voice which caused her to avoid his stern eyes. She could feel the disappointment in his body language and just by the way he spoke to her.

"Fine."

"Hinata," Tsunade, who had also come forward, grabbed the charts at the end of her bed. "You suffered a few burns but otherwise you should be able to go home tomorrow morning."

Hinata shifted in her bed uncomfortably then nodded. Hiashi was creating invisible tension in the room and Tsunade observed this entire situation as if she were a fly on the wall. She always thought that Hinata deserved better, whether it come from her own family or elsewhere. Hinata needed someone to build her up; Shino and Kiba always did a great job, but it needed to come from somewhere closer and more personal.

The Hyuuga clan was not at the top of her favorites list. Growing up, Tsunade was there to witness many problems that existed. They certainly had come a long way with making peace to the village, but they always left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"What happened?" Hinata finally spoke interrupting Tsunade's thoughts.

"Well… we tried to get there as soon as we could when we found out that Kabuto wasn't at the western border." Tsunade said. "He murdered Kensaku and posed as him for at least a day before the mission was given to us."

"It was foolish to let her leave." Neji remarked. "I knew that something would happen." Tsunade frowned and set down the clip board. It wasn't often that she would admit any wrong doing, but it was a definite mistake.

"I think he has a spy in the village." Tsunade said suddenly. "How else would he have known that Hinata was one of the few remaining?"

"We are working on finding that spy." Hiashi said.

"B-But how did I get here?" Hinata said. "I heard voices after the explosion." She closed her eyes to try to bring back the memories, but it was like trying to find something in the dark.

"We had a team of ANBU sent out the night prior. They arrived just as the paper bombs went off."

"And Kabuto?" Neji asked while his good eye closed. "I take it he is gone?"

"…yes. His presence has simply vanished from both the west and outside of Nachi." The Fifth Hokage said with an exasperated tone. There was silence that sat amongst them until Hinata opened her eyes.

"How is Sasuke-kun?" She whispered. "I think I owe hi-"

"Enough." Hiashi said sharply. "That worthless ninja…"

"No! He _saved_ me." Hinata protested. Tsunade didn't want to interfere with father-daughter spats, but it was more than that at this point.

"Hiashi, had Sasuke not been there, your daughter would be without her eyes and the Byakugan would be in the wrong hands." Tsunade said haughtily. Hiashi turned to look at her with such an icy stare it even made Neji uncomfortable.

"I told you from the beginning… I did not like the fact that my daughter was working alongside the Uchiha. He betrayed this village… not surprising since the entire clan was full of traitors." Hiashi spat. Tsunade, who had no fear or regrets, walked closer to the man and leaned forward to poke a bright red nail on his chest.

"_You _do not make the decisions for Konoha. In fact, _you_ do not make Hinata's decisions any longer either since you took away her rightful place as leader. Both of you follow _my_ orders because I am the Hokage. So if there is a problem with how I direct orders, then you can deal with the paperwork of filing a complaint."

Hiashi was a prideful man. He stood tall with confidence and enjoyed squashing those underneath him. Perhaps the Third Hokage was too nice with him because there was never a 'scolding' for his actions or behavior. It was like disciplining a child who was having a tantrum and Tsunade found it thrilling.

He simply stared her down searching for a correct response but needless to say he was embarrassed. Instead, Hiashi simply turned and left the hospital room. Tsunade could feel her heart rate returning to normal and she sighed heavily before turning to Hinata.

"You did nothing wrong. Your mission was overall a success… and as for Sasuke, he is recovering from severe burns. He did in fact save your life in more ways than one." Tsunade said gently. Hinata felt her eyes filling with tears again and she looked away. _Why? Why did he save me?_ _He was just using me._ Her heart was conflicting with itself; she wanted to trust him but that phrase of him just using her to rank up repeated back and forth in her mind.

_She's my ticket to ranking up…_

_I won't let anything happen to you…_


	10. Chapter 9: Building and Breaking

Yikes I was late with this one. Whoopsie... Life gets busy.

* * *

_What are you doing?_ _You're ruining everything you worked for._

"I know."

_It's the Hyuuga. Why did you do that?_

"…."

_Remember that day by the lake as a child? You told yourself never to let anyone in. There is a reason why you did that—to keep things like this from happening._

"She's weak."

_She can take care of herself. She's a Konoha ninja. You have to rank up and start your life over… reclaim your rightful place in this village. _

"I don't know why… I get this feeling to protect her."

_That girl has plenty of people to keep her from harm. It's not your job. I think it's time to distance yourself._

"…."

The next few days were a blur to Uchiha Sasuke. He was in and out of sleep and in his reasoning it was because they had him on medication to keep his pain level down. The explosion was still fresh in his dreams. The last thing he remembered was Kabuto giving him such an evil grin that it only reminded him of one person—Orochimaru.

As if it was a reflex, like fight or flight, he shielded the woman next to him. Why? He wasn't exactly sure. It was something that plagued him ever since he began working alongside her in the library. Hyuuga Hinata was the only person in the entire world that caused him to act outside of his normal logic. The frustration as to _why_ was something he couldn't explain.

Because of her, he was now suffering burns up and down his back and on his legs. There were blurs of Sakura checking in on him and applying a strange cream on his back which always stung enough to wake him from a deep sleep. The voice in his head reminded him over and over again that this was a mistake; a worthless decision that set him back. His own logic was arguing with his conscious which was something that didn't happen often at all.

Sasuke began to resent Hinata, but he was more angry at himself and at the thoughts that popped up in his mind over the past few months of being around her. The time where he helped her reach the top shelf of the bookcase or even the time where she came over to his home to tend to his needs. _No._ Uchiha Sasuke didn't need anyone. The only thing he needed was himself; he had been doing it for years successfully.

There was nothing else Sasuke thought about between those few days of blurry mornings and the distant voices that discussed his condition. It wasn't like his prior injuries where he was able to be awake and conscious throughout. Medicine had advanced and now they were purposely making him in a drowsy state to keep him somewhat comfortable and to keep him_ there_. Sasuke had a knack for leaving the hospital before he was released, so to ensure that he was being treated properly, there was a heavy dose of drugs pumping through his veins.

It left Sasuke feeling vulnerable and weak. Another frustrating thing was he was constantly lying on his stomach due to the extent of his injuries. It put a kink in his neck, but it was really the least of his worries. It was a sad state for him; there was anger and a feeling of failure that he felt every time he woke up and he even dreamed about it. Maybe he was playing a sick trick on himself and put himself into a genjutsu to get his head straight.

On the fourth day, the voices that used to be distant were clearer. His body didn't feel so heavy with drowsiness and the numbing buzz in his back was replaced with a dull ache. Sasuke cracked open an eye and could see someone standing next to his bed.

"Sasuke, can you hear me?" The voice was firm and familiar. _Her._ He ignored the Fifth Hokage and instead closed his eye again. Tsunade exhaled gently and brought a finger up to lightly tap on her red lips.

"As a patient and ninja in the care of the Konoha Hospital, I am obligated to inform you of what happened. As you might recall, five days ago you and Hyuuga Hinata were given a mission to deliver scrolls to Kensaku in Nachi."

Sasuke continued to ignore her, although it was helpful that she was putting all the pieces back together for him. After being sedated for so long, his brain felt like mush, and quite frankly he was just exhausted.

"Kabuto murdered Kensaku and posed as him in order to get closer to Hinata. He was unsuccessful in his schemes, but has since vanished. Because of your actions, Hyuuga Hinata was saved and only suffered minor injuries."

There was a silence aside from the hum of the ceiling fan and the dull beeping of the machines. Sasuke pushed his face farther into the pillow and wished she would just leave. A dreamless sleep was all he needed. His mind needed to refresh from this mess he had gotten himself into. The clicks of her heels filled the air and he could hear her sit down in the chair next to his bed.

"Uchiha Sasuke… I know you are awake. I am aware of your condition and how exhausted you are. We will talk tomorrow morning. I have more important things to discuss with you." Her voice was neither condescending nor harsh as it usually was directed towards him. If Sasuke had more energy in his body, he might contemplate what she was talking about but as soon as he heard the door open and shut, Uchiha Sasuke allowed himself to drift back into sleep.

* * *

"Alright… your burns are healing up great." Sakura said with a smile as she wiped her hands off. Hinata felt her cheeks go red. Even though they were in the privacy of a hospital room, she was showing too much skin than she was used to. Only wearing a black tank top and shorts, Hinata had gone in for the fourth day to get treatment for the burns she had received.

"Luckily for you, with some chakra and that salve, they should be better in no time," said Sakura as she twisted the lid back onto the jar. Hinata nodded gently as she waited for the salve to dry. True; her injuries were manageable and soon she would able to begin training again.

"I will have to let Hanabi know we are running out." Sakura murmured as she had stood up to return it to the cub board in the room. Ever since Tsunade had taken over as Hokage, she contracted out a deal with the Hyuuga clan for their medical herbs and salves that were specially made from the Hyuuga garden. Hinata remembered as a little girl helping to make the medicines and it brought a small smile to her face.

"I can let her know… I am going to stop by the Hyuuga estate soon." Hinata said through a wince as she slid her jacket back on. Sakura nodded and let her hands rest on her hips.

"Both you and Neji are getting so much better… he was released this morning." Sakura said with a prideful smile. Of course she was in charge of the intensive care unit at the Konoha Hospital so things always seemed to run smoothly. Hinata felt envious of her for many reason, but mainly because there was 'talk around town' about Sakura and Naruto spending their evenings together. She would never let the jealousy show though.

"Y-Yes… I'm glad." Hinata paused and fidgeted with her braided hair. "And… is Sasuke-kun doing better?"

Sakura's smile slowly disappeared as if Hinata had asked a very personal question. It was as if someone asked her of an old lover. She quickly brushed it off and nodded.

"Yes… he doesn't say much as usual. In fact, he hasn't said one word to me since he was admitted." Sakura said her voice taking a slightly bitter tone. Hinata brought up a curled finger to her lips to hide a frown. She hadn't visited him yet. Hinata wasn't sure if she felt right seeing him in the state he was in all because of her weak moment. Or was she even close enough to the Uchiha to warrant herself a visit?

Hinata stood up and pulled on her pair of loose pants and felt much better knowing she was now fully hidden behind the fabric. Ever since she had been released from the hospital, Hinata was spending time at home. Tsunade wouldn't allow her back to work until she saw improvement in her burns, which Hinata was uncomfortable with at first. However, it gave her time to rest and meditate which was refreshing.

"T-Thanks Sakura… see you tomorrow." It was a part of her recovery; the healing chakra and then the healing salve which she could almost apply herself, but Sakura used chakra while putting it on to relieve the pain. Hinata wondered if maybe it would benefit her to become a medical ninja but she knew her father would want her to concentrate on her strength.

The halls at the hospital always seemed so depressing. She remembered visiting Naruto on occasion when he would get himself into trouble; it brought a nostalgic smile to her lips as she walked. Hinata wondered what he was doing… it had been a few weeks since she had seen him. In fact, Hinata hadn't thought of the boy of her dreams for quite some time. She had been busy with the library and Sasuke... Naruto just seemed to slip her mind. All thoughts were put on hold as her feet stopped at Sasuke's room; she had debated on going in several times throughout the week but never did. Hinata frowned and decided maybe now would be a good time since he was awake.

Hinata felt as if she should thank him; not only did he take the full brunt of the blast, but Kabuto was unable to get to her eyes. Ever since Neji had gotten attacked, Hinata couldn't help but wonder… why not just kidnap a Hyuuga? What was so important about physically having the eye? Those were questions that were physically impossible to answer at this point so Hinata could only wonder.

Her small fist knocked gently on the door, but she was not surprised when there was no response. She thought about walking away and ignoring this entire situation but something inside her nature pushed her forward. Hinata opened the door and peeked in. Her eyes softened upon seeing him lying in his bed. _Sasuke-kun…_ Chewing on her lip, she eventually slipped into the room and quietly shut the door behind her.

The soft hum from the ceiling fan was the only sound; he was completely silent so she assumed he was asleep. Hinata slowly walked to the side of Sasuke's bed and her lips formed a thin line. It was as she was approaching a dead body in a coffin so it was slightly unnerving. Sasuke was shirtless and his entire back was adorned in gauze so she couldn't see just how severe the burns were. Her fingertips trailed along the covers before they were brought to her chest. _All for me… I've let everything go- my training, my confidence, my strength. _

Tears threatened to spill once again from those light eyes. _No… _A sense of anger surged through her body which fought her weakness. It was a similar feeling after Neji had faced her during the Chuunin exams. He had made a fool of her, and with a little help from an unsuspecting Uzumaki, she was able to lift herself from those thoughts. Somehow she had shriveled back into her former self. Hinata was done relying on others. Naruto wouldn't always be there to inspire her and Neji wouldn't always be there to remind her.

"Sasuke-kun… I-I'm so sorry." She whispered. Slowly sitting in the chair next to the bed, Hinata sat in the darkness of his room just listening to the faint beeping. Several things ran through her mind, but most of all it was guilt.

Hinata knew that he wasn't a person that enjoyed sitting in an old musty basement and organize scrolls. Sasuke wasn't the type that enjoyed the company of a stuttering woman who had lost the most important thing in her life. He deserved better—to be out on missions and living a fulfilling life. After all, his life up to this point hadn't been an easy one. She didn't feel pity; Hinata felt understanding for him.

Her lavender eyes gazed at his blank face as he lay on his stomach. His eyes were closed and he hadn't stirred. Hinata slowly arose from the chair, careful of her own injuries, and gently moved a few locks of hair out of his eyes. She always observed him in the past get frustrated with his hair getting in his way during training although Hinata always secretly thought it was charming…or something along those lines. After a few silent moments, she turned her back and walked slowly back to the door. Hinata would be lying if she said she didn't feel his red Sharingan locked in on her as she left.

It was a feeling she couldn't shake; it wasn't the first time his Sharingan circled on her. Perhaps it was because she could sense it better than most due to her constant meditation and keen sense. Hinata could be in an open field, but feel as if she were in an overcrowded room when his Kekkei Genkai fell upon her. It wasn't something she could really even explain to herself; perhaps she should just be thankful it wasn't the eye of his late brother.

Hinata took her time walking through the streets of Konoha; the healing burns on her arms and legs no longer needed to be wrapped, but they did rub up against her clothes. The sun was shining brightly and the vendors were already busy with customers for the afternoon. It was strange to be on her way to the Hyuuga mansion; Hinata tried to recall the last time she had been there but it was probably for the wedding ceremony for Hanabi.

Neji was home; he asked the Hokage multiple times to be discharged so he could resume his duties at the Hyuuga mansion. His duties were quite different now than they were ten years ago; instead of having to keep an eye on Hinata and Hanabi, he was able to attend clan meetings and have his own input into matters. Hinata also had that opportunity but it seemed silly to her. _You cannot lead the clan but you can still give us your opinion._ Instead of addressing the issues with her family, she would busy herself with other things like work.

Hinata enjoyed her short walk and being out of the gloomy hospital. It gave her an opportunity to keep her muscles from getting stiff, plus the fresh summer air felt warm on her pale skin. As she walked down a quiet street, her mind wandered from her family, to her job, and of course to the man who sat in the hospital because of her.

"Oy! Hinata." A familiar voice echoed behind her and she turned slightly to be greeted by one large canine and one worried looking Kiba. Hinata laughed gently as Akamaru circled her before licking her hand.

"A-Akamaru! Kiba-kun… You're back from the West." Hinata said with a girlish smile. Kiba, who had caught up, ran a hand through his chocolate brown hair. His tattooed face wasn't the mischievous and grinning face she remembered; his features were serious which made her smile slowly fade.

"I heard you were hurt! What the hell happened?!" Hinata's cheeks warmed at his concern but her gaze focused on the white fur at her side to avoid feeling uncomfortable. Kiba was always such an exclamation mark and he wasn't one to dance around the subject; those were some of the things Hinata found endearing about him. In retrospect, they were two complete opposites but they always made for a great team.

"Oh, I'm fine… really. Just a few s-scrapes." Hinata managed to say, but when she looked up at her team mate, she could already tell he wasn't buying her just brushing it off. Kiba didn't have the book smarts like Shino and he certainly wasn't as quiet either, but there was no fooling those sharp and keen senses he had. Or he was used to her mannerisms and paid very close attention to her.

"Had I have been there… this wouldn't have happened. That Kabuto wouldn't have seen it coming." Kiba muttered bitterly as the warm breeze caused some hair to stick up. Akamaru whined gently while he pushed his cold wet nose into Hinata's palm before she resumed petting him again.

"No. It was my fault." Her voice was firm, which caused his lips to curl downwards. Kiba took a step closer to her and Hinata looked up to see that he was just inches from her face. She wasn't sure what to expect, but the only thing she was certain of was how red her cheeks must be at that point. He then extended his arms and roughly pulled her into a hug. Hinata was too surprised to react so she let him hold her even though she was screaming on the inside to be released.

"You could have...died. You could have been captured. I mean... I always thought Kurenai-sensei prepared us enough for this." His usual loud voice had become soft as he slowly loosened his grip on her. Hinata looked up into Kiba's face to see him staring intently at her. This is was very unlike him; they had been in worse situations.

"Kiba-kun I-"

"I know it's been rough with you losing the clan, but if we need to train more..." His voice trailed off. Hinata let her gaze linger with his for a second longer before she looked away.

He was disappointed in her and she could tell by the words he used, the way he said it, and the look in his eyes. Kiba never meant it as something hurtful, but more as something _helpful. _Criticism was always a hard pill to swallow for anyone and Hinata had to learn at a young age that it was inevitable in her family. She dug deep and found the courage to look back at the Inuzuka even though she was completely out of her comfort zone.

"I just need to re-prioritize everything." Hinata forced a small smile to reassure Kiba who still had her close to him.

"Is it the Uchiha? Is he giving you a hard time?" Kiba, like Shino, was very protective of her for different reasons. His canine instincts always helped to fuel those feelings. Shino looked at her as a little sister, but Kiba's feeling went a little deeper.

"S-Sasuke-kun? No… It's just me, really." She said her voice as low as a whisper. His eyes scanned her face looking for something else to say, but there wasn't anything else to counter with. Instead he lifted a hand to brush up against her warm cheeks. It sent goose bumps shivering down her spine.

"I've missed ya, Hinata." He finally said with a look of defeat. "I know you said a long time ago that…it wasn't the right time, but… I still…y'know…"

Her heart was beating fast just like it had those few years ago when Kiba sought her out. She could tell her was struggling, as Kiba wasn't a man of his emotions. Her stomach felt like it wouldn't ever settle. She wasn't used to these situations and it felt _wrong_.

"I still love you, Hinata..." She had always dreamed of hearing those magical words… but he could tell from the way her eyes stared sadly back at him that he was the wrong person saying them. It was just strange to her that even with all the missions, the day-to-day stresses and the risk of dying that he still yearned for her. Even with brushing him aside, he was as stubborn as ever.

"K-Kiba-kun…" Her voice was almost a whisper. His frown remained as his arms returned to his side and he turned away from her. There was an awkward moment of silence and even Akamaru's tail was still. Hinata brought curled fingers to her lips and her heart ached for him. Of course, this was the exact situation she found herself in with Naruto. Hinata never confessed, but it was apparent that the blonde haired man was oblivious to her feelings and would probably always be.

"I know you can't train yet, but Shino and I are taking a break from missions for a few weeks. We'll be here to keep ya up to par." Kiba's behavior suddenly shifted as if nothing had happened. He turned to glance back at her as his usual grin reappeared. Hinata realized she had stopped breathing and inhaled deeply. Kiba whistled for his canine companion.

"We won't let that freak get the Byakugan. Right, Akamaru?" With a woof and a trot, Akamaru was at his owner's feet. Hinata's eyes softened on Kiba. She was truly blessed with an amazing team and realized her life had been consumed with silly things like fear and sadness. She wasn't totally sure but Hinata felt as if she was standing a little taller than before.

* * *

The sound of heels and the sliding of his door awoke him and he groaned inwardly. It was the constant in and out of people that drove him insane. His senses were right that the Fifth Hokage had returned as she had promised the next morning. Sasuke stirred and winced as his burns reminded him to keep still.

"Good morning, Uchiha." Tsunade walked further into his room and inspected the bandages taped loosely on him to keep infection out. Sasuke was silent even though one dark glaring eye watched her. His face was half buried into the pillow and all he wanted to do was stretch. The muscles and nerves in his body weren't used to being still so it was an itch he was yearning to scratch.

"Let's see what we have going on here, eh?" Tsunade brushed away her hair from her eyes and let her hands hover lightly over his bandages. They lit up with the familiar green chakra as she gently pulled the gauze back to reveal somewhat improved burns.

"How long do I need to be here?" It was the first time Sasuke had spoken in at least a week so his voice was scratchy. Tsunade's eyebrows rose slightly and a small smirk spread across her plump lips.

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves." She remarked before reaching over to grab a jar of the burn salve. "Now, this is a special salve with healing chakra infused herbs and ingredients from the Hyuuga gardens."

_Hyuuga._ The name was like poison to him but he remained quiet and without expression. Brick by brick, Sasuke was replacing the walls that had crumbled throughout the past few months. In fact, he decided that it was ever since Itachi's death that he had allowed himself to let the light into the dark room in his mind. That was all about to change.

"This might sting." Tsunade said breaking his thoughts. The salve lit up with green chakra as she applied it gently to his back. Sasuke grit his teeth and tried to ignore the pain. It was definitely not as intense as it had been a few days ago but it was certainly no walk in the park—even for him.

"What did you have to talk to me about?" He hissed as his skin reacted to the medication. The Hokage continued working on his back before wiping her hands off with a towel.

"On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the worst, what is your pain level?" She asked ignoring him. Sasuke stared at her for several seconds when he realized she wouldn't answer him until he complied with her bullshit medical routine.

"Six." He lied. _More like eight._ Tsunade pursed her lips and moved down to the backs of his legs which weren't nearly as bad as his back. With the same techniques as before, she removed the old bandages and applied the soothing salve.

"Now, because of the success of your mission and from the good things Hyuuga Hinata said of your progress down in the library, I am promoting you to Chuunin." Tsunade said. Sasuke was surprised at this but he didn't let it show.

"I don't have to participate in the exams?" He asked dryly before cringing with the stinging sensation of his skin. Tsunade shook her head as she walked back to wipe her hands one last time. She grabbed his clip board and flipped through the papers.

"No. This is more or less of me going off of the words of Hinata. I trust her." She looked over the top of the clipboard to study Sasuke's expression. Just as expected, it was blank.

Sasuke had been awake when Hinata entered his room the day before. Ignoring her was his forte and he recalled not caring about her emotions. Now knowing that she was basically the reason for his advancement, it made his stomach feel uneasy with a microscopic feeling of guilt. Those bricks he was trying to put back up were heavier than he thought.

"Good." Sasuke retorted. Tsunade crossed her arms at that reply but she wasn't surprised. With a small sigh, she sat down next to his bed.

"We've got word that Kabuto might be recuperating back in the Sound village, but nothing is for sure." Tsunade said her tone becoming lower. "Now that you are a Chuunin and I somewhat trust you, we can start getting you on missions… when you recover, of course."

Sasuke attempted to use his arms to lift himself off the bed. They were wobbly, but he managed to roll over onto his side. Locks of dark blue hair slipped into his eyes as he looked over at Tsunade, who was still reviewing his charts.

"He is after something to revive Orochimaru." Sasuke muttered, recalling the encounter between him and Kabuto. "He's looking for a scroll."

Tsunade let the papers attached to the clip board flatten and she brought it to a hug against her chest. She knew Orochimaru better than Sasuke did, unfortunately, so this wasn't news to her.

"Is this really Kabuto we're dealing with?" Her eyes stared at him as if challenging his memories. Sasuke allowed his muscles to stretch a bit in this new position and heaved a low sigh.

"When I was looking for Itachi a few years ago, I ran into someone who grew up with Kabuto." There was a dull glint in those dark eyes of his. "They are certain that he is under some kind of spell… everything he has done in the past ten years was completely uncharacteristic. I thought that maybe after Orochimaru's death it would disappear just like my curse mark."

"But it didn't." Tsunade finished his statement for him. She was intrigued by the information he was revealing. She only hoped that he was as trustworthy as Hinata led her to believe. They sat in silence as she thought about their next move.

"This scroll must be infused with a type of chakra only detected by certain Kekkei Genkai. The Byakugan is one of them." She thought aloud.

"The other is the Sharingan." He said. Those words sent goose bumps down her back but she didn't let him see her vulnerability. The only two people left with the Sharingan were Sasuke…and Kakashi. Just knowing what might happen if Kabuto got his hands on the Sharingan was slightly nauseating.

"Kabuto knows better—neither you nor Kakashi would cooperate and it would be too risky for him to attack." Tsunade said slowly. Sasuke's lack of response seemed to agree with her.

"The jutsu he used to keep 80% of his chakra at the western border will have him resting for a while. I think at this point it is in our best interest to recuperate ourselves and learn a bit more about what spell he might be under." If they could figure out a way to break the spell before Kabuto got to the scroll, then it would solve their problems.

Tsunade stood up from her chair and picked up the jar of ointment. She looked at it for a moment before tossing it to Sasuke, who caught it with a surprise.d look The Hokage smiled at him and then turned to exit the room.

"You're free to go. Keep your burns free of bandages so air can help it heal and apply that salve twice a day. If you need assistance to get it on your back, I'm sure Sakura would be more than happy to help." Normally, she would have kept anyone there another day or so, but he was anxious to leave. If he was smart, he would wait a little longer. His skin was still sensitive, but with the help of the salve and the healing chakra it was fast on track to being healed up within a week or so.

He watched her slide the door open and left him all to himself. Sasuke let his weight fall over onto his stomach and he heaved a somewhat satisfied sigh. He was ready to get back on track.

* * *

Within a month, Uchiha Sasuke was feeling 100% better. His burns had healed completely; although there was some scarring on his back, it didn't seem to bother him. It was a major setback having to spend his days stretching his muscles and doing light exercises instead of the normal work outs and training sessions he was accustomed to. Now that he didn't have to go to the library any longer, Sasuke took that month off to recover and regain his strength back.

Before Sasuke was old enough to enter the Academy, his mother had him participate in yoga-like stances to help build his core for the rigorous activities he would be doing. At the time, he thought it was humiliating and silly. Sasuke remembered trying to come up with excuses to get out of the sessions, but in the end it benefitted him. Anytime he was too injured to go through his normal routine, he would recall back to what his mother taught him.

Now that he was healed up, Sasuke finally decided to take up Naruto's offer and train alongside him. The first few times it was frustrating; Naruto had improved greatly since he had been up against him. It reminded Sasuke of when they were competing for bragging rights as young adults. Once Sasuke got back into the rhythm of everything, it was as if he hadn't suffered any injuries to begin with.

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto gleefully called out as he landed on his feet. Twirling the kunai knife on his finger, he grinned before wiping his nose on his sleeve. Sasuke also landed a few feet away and tilted his head until a soft popping noise was heard.

The wind helped to blow back sweaty locks of hair as Sasuke caught his breath. Both men refused to let the other one up another so it made for a tough workout which he hadn't done in quite some time. Naruto's features flattened as he realized he was being ignored.

"Sasukeeeee." A small pout was forming on his lips. "Ramen!"

"No," grunted Sasuke before unsheathing his sword and pointing it at the jinchuriki. "Another round."

An intense growl erupted through the training grounds and Naruto rubbed his stomach embarrassingly. Sasuke gave his eyes a slight roll before turning away. Had the thought of alcohol not been on the brain, he would have continued his training alone.

Strangely enough, he hadn't had much chance to think about sake as he was recovering. His thoughts were constantly moving mainly to keep a certain person out his mind. Sasuke used to be impatient as a child always wanting to be ahead of the game. As a man, he understood that patience was a virtue and it took dedication to recover as quickly as he did. Tsunade had been pleased by his progress.

"Fine," said Sasuke as his sword slipped back into its holder behind him. Naruto grinned before flinging the kunai at a target on the tree.

"Alright!" The day had whittled away to the evening time; they had spent several hours practicing their close combat on each other. Naruto was risking his life by sneaking out of the Hokage building without telling Tsunade but she was aware—as long as it was keeping the peace with the Uchiha and he was getting his work done, she didn't seem to mind.

Their steps weren't in synch as they walked down the streets of the village; Naruto was quick paced and full of energy while Sasuke was more consistent with patience. There was a feeling of content throughout his days however there was also a void in his life. That feeling wasn't anything new and he often blamed his loneliness on the absence of his family.

"Sooo, what's it like to be a Chuunin now?" Naruto asked with a slight sarcastic tone. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders without a care.

"I'm just waiting for Tsunade to assign me a mission." His voice was cool and smooth.

"Oh yeah. Don't have to be cooped up in the basement anymore, huh?" Naruto said thoughtfully, and then crossed his arms behind his head. "How's Hinata? Guess I haven't seen her much lately."

"I wouldn't know." It was a truthful statement. He wasn't around her any longer and didn't plan to be in the future. There was work to be done. Although he would never admit that he had visited the library a few weeks ago. Sasuke was curious on the spell that Kabuto might be under and he remembered seeing several documents over that subject. Hinata wasn't down there—someone else was. He didn't bother asking if he could check out the books nor did he question where she was. There was a slight feeling of curiosity as to Hinata's whereabouts but Sasuke forced himself not to think any further of it.

"The Old Lady has been busy lately. She's had several ANBU head up to the Village of the Hidden Sound." Naruto's voice had gotten somewhat serious as they walked.

"And?"

"Not a single trace." Naruto responded glumly. "I keep tellin' her to send me up there. I bet I could find the sonuvabitch!"

"Kabuto is in hiding. Not even the ANBU can track him." This was a conversation that was hushed, but it didn't seem to matter as Naruto's attention was fixated on the ramen stand in sight. He rubbed his hands together and increased his pace.

"The only thing on my mind is a nice steamy bowl of ramen!" He declared before plopping down at a seat. "Oyyy! The usual, please!"

Sasuke's upper lip curled in slight disgust at Naruto's love for ramen. He had been to his apartment once before—nothing but packaged noodles. The same could be said for Sasuke's attachment to the bottle of sake that was set before him at the booth. It could also be a problem but for now, he sipped away on the sweet alcohol while Naruto slurped his ramen.

It didn't take long for the affects to kick in but Sasuke was always good at keeping it hidden. It was an amazing feeling as it radiated through his body relaxing his aching muscles and soothing the slight pounding in his head.

Naruto yawned obnoxiously and pushed the empty bowl forward. The food and heavy training that day might be sending him to bed earlier than usual.

"Alright I'm outta here!" Naruto reached into his pocket for his old and tattered frog billfold to produce some cash. Sasuke eyed him as he swallowed the last bit of his sake.

"It's early." Even though the blonde haired man annoyed the piss out of him, it was nice to have company while he drank. Sasuke wouldn't ever admit it but their friendship had been rekindled. Naruto stood up and stretched.

"Nyeh, I know. I told Sakura-chan I would stop by on my way home." He said then sniffed groggily. Sasuke's eyebrow raised ever so slightly at that statement then looked away in disinterest. Naruto crossed his arms just waiting for Sasuke to probe further. Sasuke didn't. Instead he also threw some money on the counter and stood up to leave.

"H-Hey! I mean, we're kind of dating y'know!" Naruto stammered as Sasuke promptly walked away. He wasn't interested in love stories, especially the ones that involved those two idiots. It had been pretty obvious from the start that Sakura would eventually get over her crush for Sasuke and move onto the next best thing—Naruto.

Love was too much work. It required effort on both ends and he didn't have the time to mess with it. Even with all the patience Sasuke learned to build up, a relationship was too finicky. In Naruto's case, instead of going home and going to bed, he would have to go over to Sakura's apartment to listen to her stories of the day. Sasuke groaned lightly to himself just at the thought of listening to her bitch and moan.

With pink cheeks, Sasuke walked slowly throughout the darkening village. He didn't want to go home yet—no, no. He was still craving that sweet alcohol that made everything feel nice. The night was young and the same bar he almost destroyed those few months ago just so happened to be open to his left.

No one seemed to recognize him as he pushed the entrance door open. In fact, it was rather crowded, which was perfect. He could find himself an empty corner to sip and enjoy without having anyone question him. As he made his way through the bar a familiar voice caught his attention.

"I hate crowds," groaned a wary Shikamaru who sat at a table. Kiba swallowed his sake and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's my damn birthday. Stop complaining." He said with a playful grin. Sasuke slowly sat down at a table across the room and was able to recognize everyone. Inuzuka Kiba, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji and… Hyuuga Hinata. His eyes locked on to her subconsciously. Not much had changed about her that he could see; her long hair was still in a braid that sat lazily on her shoulder and she still fidgeted uncomfortably. It was just like the first time he saw her back in this bar—she looked and must have felt out of place.

"Hinata! Here, try this." Kiba said as he leaned over to hand her a saucer cup of sake. Hinata hesitated before smiling politely.

"O-Oh, no that's okay, really—"

"Ahhh c'mon!"

"It's very sweet." Chouji pointed out as he sniffed his own cup before taking a sip. Shikamaru leaned back lazily in his chair and heaved a heavy sigh. He wasn't one that liked to lose his sharpness through alcohol or cigarettes. Besides, Shikamaru figured he had gotten enough second hand smoke from the late Asuma. Kiba raised his eyebrowss at her as he awaited a response.

"I'm fine, really." She assured him again. Kiba shrugged and downed the sake himself. His cheeks were pink even though it was hard to tell with the tribal red tattoos.

Hinata really wasn't the type of person that enjoyed the bar scene, but it was for Kiba's birthday so agreed only on that reason. She silently wished that Shino had come along to keep Kiba under control, but he wasn't a drinker and disliked crowds.

As if a cold breeze had blasted past her, she brought her hands up to rub her arms. There was a nostalgic feeling that overtook her suddenly and Hinata got the feeling someone was watching her. Like a moth to a lantern, her gaze met with Uchiha Sasuke's who sat across the room. His expression was hard to read but he was sipping away just like everyone else in the bar.

His glare was icy. Hinata finally pulled her eyes away from him and tried to concentrate on the loud debate between Kiba and Chouji about who could out eat one another who. Hinata folded her hands in front of her on the table and frowned. She wasn't going to let Sasuke make her squirm… she was better than that. She stood up suddenly which silenced both Chouji and Kiba.

"Hinata?" Kiba watched her brush her shirt off and walk through the crowd of people all the way to Sasuke's table. Hinata felt as if her heart could beat out of her chest at any minute and for a split second she thought about just turning around and leaving. She wasn't a confrontational person, but there was something she had been meaning to give him for a while. Sasuke sat hunched over his cup and ignored her as she approached his table.

He was very drunk, but it wasn't being shown in his mannerisms. If anyone could be a professional drunk then he might just be that. Hinata didn't expect him to acknowledge her so she figured she would make it quick. Reaching into the pack on her thigh, she pulled out something and then set it in front of him.

Sasuke downed the rest of the liquid in his cup before paying it any attention. Much to his surprise, it was a photograph of his family. His eyebrows furrowed and he picked it up almost angrily. _How did she get this!?_ It was a confusing situation because he had never seen the photograph before in his life. Sasuke's fingertips glided over his parents before stopping on himself. He was young; maybe three years old and he was smiling. Something inside his brain clicked as he studied it further… He remembered taking this picture after romping around in the forest. Sasuke could even see his skinned knees from when he had fallen.

A memory flashed in his mind of fighting back tears as he leaped through the trees. Something had upset him... something that had to do with an old friend. He looked up to interrogate her, but she was already gone. Sasuke looked around seeing that Hinata had left entirely. He stood up quickly with a surge of anger pumping through his veins. Sasuke didn't know why he was angry. Maybe it was because he was drunk or it was because she had a piece of his life tucked away in her pocket without even saying a damn word to him.

Sasuke shoved people out of his way and then burst out of the bar to see Hinata walking down the street. Gritting his teeth, he reached into his pack to grab a kunai. Sasuke ran and jumped to throw it at her. He expected her to dodge it or squeak with fear, but much to his surprise she was quick to deflect his kunai with two chakra infused shuriken.

He glared at her hiding his astonishment on how fast she was to counterattack. Sasuke frowned and grabbed another kunai in his pack and charged at her in the empty street. Hinata jumped back and quickly grabbed her own kunai before his blade could reach her. The alcohol in his system made it hard to be as swift as he normally was as she was meeting every blow and even pushing him backwards a bit.

The sake wouldn't completely take away his keen eye. Sasuke was able to dodge her kunai and reach around to grab her wrist holding the weapon. He twisted it enough that her legs buckled and she fell to the ground. Sasuke threw his kunai down and within seconds the blade of his sword was pointed at her.

"Where did you get this?" Sasuke's voice was slightly wary as his stomach was beginning to feel a bit nauseous from the sudden activity. Hinata rubbed her wrist and her head remained lowered. She was quiet for a moment considering her options. There was no need to fight him.

"I won't ask again." He growled.

"I-It was in a book." Her voice was quiet. Sasuke's glare didn't falter but it peeked his curiosity.

"What book?"

"It was… a book on the history of the Uchiha clan." Hinata dared to look up at the blade that was just inches from her head, but her lavender eyes focused directly in his own dark eyes. Sasuke could only stare at her as he began to feel dizzy and nauseous.

"Sasuke-kun… our clans fought for many years." She whispered. He thought back to the hit that was put on the Hyuuga leader and his daughter. Sasuke could easily take her out right then and there. It would at least be something he could do for his fallen clan. But it wouldn't justify a damn thing. He wondered what her father would do if she had died. Would he even care? Sasuke knew that her father and his father were similar—they just wanted to be the best which in turn meant so did their children.

He put his sword back in his sheath behind him and stumbled forward. Sasuke fell to his knees and promptly threw up next to her. Hinata frowned and crawled over to his side. She gently patted his back but he pushed her away. They sat in silence for a few seconds while he caught his breath.

"I never got the chance to thank you." She whispered. Sasuke ignored her and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. Hinata wouldn't admit it but she had missed Sasuke in that month away from him. She couldn't explain it to herself. There was a reason why Hinata would miss Naruto—because she admired him. She even knew why she would miss Shino because he was her team mate and had been for ten years. But Hinata didn't know why she missed Sasuke—he was mean, distant and unpredictable.

"You weren't at the library." He suddenly said. The tone of that statement was strangely low compared to his usual monotone growls. Sasuke was incredibly drunk; the voice in his head wasn't around to tell him no. It wasn't there to tell him to keep building that wall. Hinata glanced over at him and then stared down at her hands in her lap.

"Tsunade-sama let me take some time off." Sasuke tried to stand up but only fell back down to his knees. Hinata nudged herself under his arm pit to help him up. She would have done it for anyone—Kiba, Naruto and yes even the Uchiha.

"Get off." He muttered angrily, but made no attempt to push her off this time. Hinata was able to get him to his feet and he could hardly function even with her help. After not having alcohol for such a long time made it more effective and it seemed to hit him like a ton of bricks. Everything was blurry and as Hinata led him back towards the direction of his loft, she could hear him muttering strange things that she associated with his family.

It was something that was oddly overlooked about Sasuke, but it was also something he was known for. His family was brutally murdered by his own flesh and blood, but no one ever considered his own personal feelings on it. He was constantly a blank slate void of any expression other than the occasional irritable glare.

Hinata found it difficult to basically carry his dead weight as he was damn near passed out, but she could see the light at the end of the tunnel as his loft finally came into view. The entire way there she thought that maybe this would make up for him protecting her all the time. She recalled pleading with Tsunade to promote him to Jounin because he was clearly at that level if not better. Much to her dismay, he was only given the Chuunin rank, but it was better than nothing.

"S-Sasuke-kun…" Hinata managed to whisper through the strain of holding him up. His eyebrows furrowed a bit and a low groan escaped his lips. She heaved a small sigh and hoisted him up to enter the door to his loft. It was incredibly dark in the living area and Sasuke's limp body wasn't helping.

"Sasuke-kun… wake up." She murmured and he stirred enough to support his own weight again.

"What are you doing?" He slurred and resisted against her. She let go and he stumbled back to his knees. Hinata couldn't see where he had fallen because of the darkness so she stood there unsure of what to do. She never really dealt with someone this intoxicated. She knelt down and fumbled around until she was able to sit next to him.

"You could have been killed." He said bitterly while holding himself up with the palms of his hands. Hinata's frown couldn't be seen, but she knew that even Uchiha Sasuke had been disappointed in her that day they fought Kabuto.

"I-I know," said Hinata quietly. Sasuke sat up a bit and looked over in her direction.

"No. We could have killed you." His words weren't making sense and Hinata just figured that he was making things up in his drunken state. Hinata reached out to help him up to feet, but he shoved her away. Any other person would have thrown their hands up in the air and left him to sleep on the floor. Hinata was motherly by nature and would feel more at ease if he was at least in bed.

"Sasuke-kun," she said. "Don't you have to be up early to meet Naruto-kun for training?" Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and tried to get up. Hinata was there to awkwardly help him get to his feet. He had stopped pushing her away as exhaustion overcame his body. Sasuke just wanted to get to sleep. There were too many 'things' squirming around in his brain from the death of his clan, to the constant battle of his conscious and the lust arising from the woman who was helping him into his bedroom.

Between the darkness and the drunken Sasuke, Hinata felt the bed up against her knee sooner than she expected. The weight distribution was thrown off by this and they both tumbled onto the unmade bed. A horrific feeling arose in her stomach as she realized the outcome of this situation and she scrambled to get back to her feet. Sasuke reached out and grabbed her wrist to keep her there.

"Don't." He growled and forcefully pulled her close to him. This time it was Hinata to resist against him.

"N-No… Sasuke-kun." She squeaked into his chest, but his arms were stronger than her. Her cheeks were warm and the entire thing was causing a panic inside her mind. After a few seconds, which felt like an eternity, she stopped resisting. That familiar scent she recalled smelling on him entered her nose and it somewhat calmed her. Sasuke's cheek rested on the top of her head and his grip tightened.

This reminded her of when Kiba pulled her into a hug a few weeks prior. It felt wrong to be in his arms; he was just a good friend and a comrade. She didn't want to cross those lines because of her feelings for Naruto. It was strangely comfortable being within Sasuke's grasp and it didn't feel...wrong.

Sasuke was still somewhat conscious but his mind was spinning. The urge to kiss her came up, but he knew she wasn't just _some girl_. She wasn't the type of girl to just sleep around… in fact Hinata was probably still a virgin. His own cheeks got hot just thinking about it. She was innocent… too innocent. Even though he noticed a slight increase in her confidence, she would never be the type of girl he would want to sleep with.

The alcohol had done terrifying things. It temporarily tore down those walls he built up. He knew those walls were interchangeable. They hid the old Sasuke, the little boy he used to be. They kept him from living a normal life and keeping good relationships with people. Even with the time and distance apart from the woman in his arms, her soft touch always seemed to soothe that rocky surface he showed.

Sasuke knew that in the morning the walls would be back up. The loneliness would be swept under the rug. He would return to pushing people away. He would be the lone Uchiha with little to nothing left. But at this point in time, he didn't want to listen to that voice in his head. The alcohol, the years of holding himself up, and the pure sadness he never addressed were taking a toll on the man.

"Sasuke-kun." Her voice was muffled into his chest. He stirred gently but his grip on her remained.

"Nn." He was trying to concentrate on passing out and not the rampant feelings and the lustful thoughts.

"I-I should probably go." He was quiet and didn't move for such a long time that Hinata wondered if he had fallen asleep. Sasuke finally released her and she rolled onto her back before sitting up. He crawled up to the top of the bed to let his head rest on the pillow and he didn't say anything more.

Hinata let her hands rest on her pink and warm cheeks as she tried to collect herself. His warmth and touch left a strange void feeling in her and she glanced back at the outline of his body next to her. If she wasn't so shy, she would have curled up next to him and given in to her own sleepiness, but Hinata was scared of her own feelings. She quickly got up and found her way back to the front door of his loft. With the door shut behind her, Hinata leaned up against it and breathed a sigh. It wasn't a sigh of relief but more of a frustrated sigh.

This was challenging her feelings on the blonde haired man in her dreams. Hinata wasn't prepared to tell herself that she might be falling for the Uchiha. It seemed silly but there was a voice in the back of her mind that wasn't laughing. As Hinata walked home, she began to address her feelings towards Sasuke even further. They were muddled and not very clear but there was something there. There was _always_ something there ever since they met as young children. She had never thought much of it before but maybe that was why she missed him so much. There wasn't a day that passed she didn't think of him. In a weak and girlish moment, Hinata wondered if he had thought of her too. That thought was dismissed, however, as she continued home.


End file.
